The government wants to acquire part of a reservoir to construct a police line for the Special Security and Protection Battalion (SPBN).
The matter has been challenged in the High Court, which has issued a rule and a three-month stay order.
The reservoir is located in Katasur Mouza, Mohammadpur, Dhaka. In the acquisition proposal, one part of the reservoir is referred to as a ‘bore’ and the other as a ‘doba’. Land surveyors explain that ‘bore’ refers to low-lying land used for Boro rice cultivation.
According to a mid-20th century survey by the Land Survey Division (RS), the area is officially marked as a reservoir. Bangladesh has at least three laws aimed at protecting reservoirs, water bodies, and water retention areas. To fill in or encroach upon a water body for national interest, clearance from the Department of Environment is required. Although a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was obtained at the time of the acquisition proposal, as of the writing of this report, the police have not applied for the site-specific clearance.
According to the City, Divisional, and District Municipal Areas’ Playgrounds, Open Spaces, Parks, and Natural Reservoirs Preservation Act, 2000, the classification of areas identified as playgrounds, open spaces, parks, or natural reservoirs cannot be changed. Such areas cannot be used for any other purpose, nor can they be leased, rented, or transferred in any way.