The Dhaka city development authorities have asked a private housing company to stop illegal sand filling at Ashulia within seven working days.
Sushanta Chakma, secretary of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), served a notice on Priyanka City Project to this end on Tuesday.
It asked the company to stop filling the wetland on RS 751, 752, 761 and 775 identified in the detailed area plan (DAP) under Boro Kakor mouja at Savar.
RAJUK will take action under the Wetland Conservation Act 2000 and the Bangladesh National Building Code 1952 if the errant company fails to do so.
Priyanka Group, known for Priyanka Shooting Complex, started filling land with sand on the west side of Birulia Bridge at Ashulia during Eid holidays.
They have already filled up 100 bighas of land by this time in violation of the existing law.
Saidur Rahman Sajal, owner of Priyanka Group, earlier grabbed 150 bighas on which the complex was built.
Even the complex was not approved by RAJUK, a RAJUK official confirmed this to the FE.
During a spot visit to the site on Monday, this correspondent found a dredger on the site for filling land near the bridge, the main flood flow zone.
RAJUK officials said encroachments on river, flood flow zone and agriculture land are still unabated there despite the prime minister's directive to save them.
Besides, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has leased about 30 spots near the dam area for sand business, violating the Town Improvement Act 1953.
RAJUK is the sole authority for planning, regulation and development of the metropolitan area.
Any organisation intending to do something must obtain permission from RAJUK before initiating the work.
Experts say RAJUK can take action against any organisation violating the Town Improvement Act.
The FE failed to contact anyone of Priyanka Group for their comment using the numbers available on Facebook and other websites. When contacted for his comment, Detailed Area Plan (DAP 2016-2035) project director Ashraful Islam said he was aware of the matter.
An official is investigating the matter. Action will be taken after getting the probe report, he added.
Bangladesh Institute of Planners general secretary Adil Mohammed Khan said much has been talked about land filling, grabbing and river encroachments in the planning discourse.
Initiatives of the government are there too, but they all look ineffective, he told the FE.
