A team of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on Monday started a drive to evict an illegal river port allegedly run by a local Awami League leader in Bera upazila of the district .
The BIWTA team, led by Deputy Secretary to Shipping Ministry Habibur Rahman, started the drive around 9 am and evicted six ghats on the bank of the Hurasagor River.
Habibur said during the drive they detained five people from several cargo ships anchored at the illegal river port established at Brishalikha.
Locals said Abdul Baten, Bera municipal mayor and former Home Minister Shamsul Haq Tuku’s brother, was running the ghat. Baten is the current president of Bera upazila Awami League.
Habibur Rahman said, “We will continue the drive until the illegal infrastructures are destroyed”.
Huge quantity of fertilizer were also seized from the ghat, he added.
As per the rules, only BIWTA is authorised to run a river port.