Sadeeq Agro Farm fully demolished

The Dhaka North City Corporation today (29 June) demolished the Sadeeq Agro farm, which had illegally occupied the Ramchandrapur canal and adjacent road in Mohammadpur.

Just two days ago on 27 June, the Dhaka North city authorities had initiated an eviction drive at the farm and demolished it partially. 

The farm, recently implicated in the so-called "goat scandal", had encroached upon the canal site for years and the silence of city authorities on this matter all these years is now raising questions among common citizens and urban planners. 

According to officials involved in today's drive, there is a High Court order not to construct any structure within 30 feet of the foreshore of the canal.

Besides, Sadeeq Agro did not have any permission from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) to construct the farm. The farm did not have a trade license from the city corporation either, they said.

Dhaka North Executive Magistrate Mutakabbir Ahmed said, "On Thursday, they [Sadeeq Agro officials] were asked to show their trade license and the permission for building the farm, after it was partially demolished. They could not provide any of the documents that day.

"They were given two days to vacate the premises. When we visited today, we saw that it hadn't been cleared, so we completed the demolition."

The eviction started later at noon. In addition to Sadek Agro farm, nine more illegal structures, a housing gate and some small structures in the area were demolished.

According to the DNCC, about 70 structures have been demolished in a three-day eviction drive and 20 bighas of land have been recovered so far.

Besides, 10 tonnes of waste were removed from the Ramchandrapur canal today.

The farm had erected temporary sheds and a building on the canal site, hindering water flow completely since the occupation, even during the monsoon, reducing it to a narrow channel.

On 31 December 2020, after several canals in the capital were transferred from Dhaka Wasa to the two city corporations, Dhaka North did not take action against Sadeeq Agro, despite conducting raids in other parts of the area.

On 24 January 2022, Dhaka North launched an operation under the leadership of Mayor Atiqul Islam to clear the illegally encroached areas of Lautla Canal (branch of Ramchandrapur) in Basila, just 1km from Sadeeq Agro, where an illegal truck terminal was evicted.

Then again on 23 January this year, despite clearing other illegal encroachments near the Lautla canal, including part of an under-construction 10-storey building, Sadeeq Agro remained untouched.

Media reports have repeatedly highlighted Sadeeq Agro's encroachment on Dhaka North's canal boundaries, yet the city authorities did not address the issue.

Sadeeq Agro came under scrutiny after a controversy over a Tk15 lakh goat which they reportedly sold to Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, son of ex-National Board of Revenue member Matiur Rahman.

The much talked about goat which was priced at Tk15 lakh was also kept here. During the eviction, the goat was moved to an open space nearby.