Authorities have started a drive to evict families living illegally on the high-risk hills to save them from possible landslides casualties during upcoming monsoon.

The drive was launched on Monday by the district administration and department of environment of Chattogram.

Read: Heavy rain forecast triggers fear of landslide in Chattogram

It started at 11 am from the Bayezid section of the city's Faujdarhat-Bayezid Link Road.

Six magistrates conducted the operation in three groups.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mamnoon Ahmed Anik told the media that all illegal structures on both sides of Bayezid Link Road were being demolished. 

“A simultaneous eviction drive led by six magistrates is underway in Kattli, Hathazari and Sitakunda sections of Link Road,” he added.

Rain triggers landslide fear in Chattogram; Over 50 families evacuated

A large number of police, RAB and fire service members were deployed in the operation.

According to the Chattogram district administration, around 835 families are living illegally in 17 high-risk hills of the port city.

Besides, 18 new hills were cut during the construction of CDA's Bayezid-Faujdarhat link road. The first day of the eviction drive saw the removal of the illegal establishments which crept up on these hills.

Environmentalists say the number of people living at risk in the various hills of Chittagong is around one lakh. From 2007 to 2020, more than two hundred people lost their lives in landslides in Chottagram.

The highest landslide fatalities occurred in 2007 when 127 people died on June 11.

Besides, 30 people were killed in a 2017 landslide.