Former administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Mohammad Ejaz, obtained permission to use land belonging to a government agency on the promise of planting trees and carrying out greening. However, no trees were planted there. Instead, under the pretext of “creating a green zone,” he strategically allowed a private company to set up a food court or food stalls.

The incident took place in Sector 1 of the Purbachal New Town Project under the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK). RAJUK had permitted the city corporation to use the land on both sides of the Tongi canal (lake) near Neela Market for planting trees. But instead of planting trees itself, DNCC approved a privately owned company named Vivid Construction to both carry out greening and establish a food court.

Officials from DNCC’s property department say the work was awarded to Vivid Construction at the discretion of former administrator Mohammad Ejaz. The food court was approved as a way to bear maintenance costs.

However, officials in charge of the RAJUK project say there is no scope to allocate shops on land permitted solely for tree planting. When the company that received permission attempted to set up shops, RAJUK intervened to stop it.