Dhaka district administration, Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority yesterday jointly conducted an eviction drive and removed illegal structures built over the Jirani canal in Nandipara.

Around 250 establishments, including Nandipara Jelaparishad Market which had some 52 shops, were demolished in the drive inaugurated by DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, said Executive Magistrate Khan Mohammad Nazmus Soyeb.

“The drive started near Nandipara bridge and continued till Trimohoni area,” said Soyeb, who led it.

The mayor said they launched the drive yesterday to make Dhaka clean and green following instructions from the prime minister.

He threatened that such drives would not spare anyone who were illegally occupying the canals in Dhaka.

Earlier in a meeting, the mayor had announced that they would initiate an eviction drive from yesterday to save the 11 canals that fall under the jurisdiction of the DSCC.

“The owners of the illegal structures were well aware of the drive. And some of them even removed the structures themselves,” Shofikul Islam, Awami League president of Dokkhingaon unit, told The Daily Star.

He said the locals were happy with the move as they always wanted to see the canal free of illegal occupation.

Talking to The Daily Star, some of the shop owners of the Nandipara Jelaparishad Market said they had temporarily leased their shops from the Dhaka district commissioners' office.

Abdul Jabbar, who used to own five shops at the market, said he had taken out his shops on lease for Tk 35,000. “The expiry of the lease ended last year. I applied for its renewal but the application was still pending.”

Many such owners thought their shops would not come under the purview of the drive but when they realised their mistake, it was already quite late.

After the drive began around 12:50pm, many were seen hurriedly taking away their goods from the shops. It, however, was not that useful.

Managing director of Wasa Taqsem A Khan, ADC revenue Shahidul Islam and AC land Demra Abdul Malek were present during the drive.