Municipality mayor constructs commercial buildings on govt land
Without any governmental approval, two multi-storied commercial buildings are being constructed along the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway, occupying government land and canals. What's more, the establishments are being built by the mayor of Katakhali municipality, under Rajshahi's Paba upazila. Not approved by any government agency, the buildings aren't part of the municipal body's official activities either. Yet, land officials are stopping short of calling them 'illegal'. "We don't want to call the construction works illegal, as they're being done out of public interest," said Sheikh Ahsan Uddin, Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Paba upazila. However, replying to another question, the AC Land contradicted himself and said the authority has asked the mayor to stop the works and apply for necessary permissions before resuming the works 'legally'. Talking to The Daily Star, mayor Abbas Ali claimed he was constructing the buildings with funds