COX’S BAZAR – A joint eviction drive to clear illegal structures from the banks of the Bakkhali river in Cox’s Bazar was attacked by protesters, resulting in a police officer being injured. The incident occurred on the second day of the operation, which involves the army, police, Rab, Coast Guard, and the district administration.

According to The Daily Star, the attack began around 11:00 am when protesters, claiming legal ownership of the land, started throwing bricks at law enforcement personnel. A police officer, Constable Md Karim, was struck in the head and had to be hospitalized. Police managed to disperse the crowd and detain four individuals suspected of involvement.

The eviction drive, which was launched based on a court order, resumed after the attack. By 3:00 pm, more than a hundred illegal structures had been demolished. The court had previously ordered the removal of these structures and declared the Bakkhali river an ecologically critical area. Officials noted that the 6-kilometer stretch of the river from Nuniarchhara to Majhirghat is heavily encroached, with over 1,000 illegal structures built over the last decade.

Source: This rewritten article is based on reporting from The Daily Star. Sources