Over 100 structures demolished at Sayedabad WASA colony

More than 100 illegal structures were demolished during an eviction drive at the WASA Colony near the Sayedabad Bus Terminal in Dhaka, with police claiming that some of the structures had allegedly been used as hideouts by drug dealers, muggers and extortionists.  The operation, however, has left many families who were living there facing uncertainty over where they will go next.

The drive began on wednesday afternoon in the presence of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Special Magistrate Md Sharifur Rahman.  The operation was led by Mallik Ahsan Sami, Deputy Commissioner of the DMP's Wari Division. According to police, around 100 illegal structures had been built on vacant land belonging to the WASA Colony.  Some of these structures were allegedly being used as safe havens by people involved in drug dealing, mugging and extortion.

Police said the area had reportedly been used for criminal activities for nearly four decades, including mugging and drug-related operations in and around the Sayedabad Bus Terminal and other parts of the capital. "Nearly 100 illegal structures had been built on the vacant land of the WASA Colony. Some of these structures were being used as hideouts by criminals. The operation was carried out as part of efforts to control crime and remove illegal structures," said Mallik Ahsan Sami, Deputy Commissioner of the Wari Division. Police also said that a total of nine firearms, including four reportedly belonging to police, had recently been recovered from the area.

However, details about the ownership of the other firearms or their links to specific criminal incidents were not immediately available. The demolition has been welcomed by some local residents, who said the area had long been associated with criminal activity.  They called for continued police and administrative monitoring to prevent illegal structures and alleged criminal hideouts from being re-established. However, the eviction has also created a humanitarian crisis for many families who say they have been living in the area for years and are not involved in criminal activities.

Lakshmirani, a member of one of the evicted families, broke down while describing their situation. "We are ordinary people. We had only a small place to live with our children. Where will we go now? We were informed around midnight last night, and we did not get enough time to move our belongings," she said. "We have nowhere else to go. After losing our home, I do not know where we will stay with our children," she added. Several other affected families also alleged that they were not given sufficient time to remove their belongings before the demolition.  

Many were seen struggling to collect essential household items while facing uncertainty over shelter and their immediate future. Local residents said the authorities' action against criminal elements and illegal structures was necessary, but urged the administration to consider the plight of families who may have been living there without any involvement in criminal activities. They also called for possible temporary shelter or rehabilitation assistance for vulnerable families affected by the eviction. The operation has therefore presented two contrasting realities: relief among residents who hope the drive will help curb crime, and growing anxiety among families who have lost their homes. Residents now want authorities to ensure that the cleared land is not occupied again by illegal structures or criminal groups, while also addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of the families left without shelter.