Rajuk constructed the 3km link road from Doyaganj to connect the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge over the Buriganga river at Postogola in 2002 at a cost of about Tk 32 crore to reduce traffic pressure at Jatrabari crossing.

"Once the link road opens, southern district bound vehicles from the Sayedabad terminal can use the road that would ease traffic congestion in Jatrabari area," Rajuk Chief Engineer M Emdadul Islam told The Daily Star.

He said construction work of the road was completed long ago, except the area where the mosque is located. Rajuk tried several times to move it, but its efforts were in vain due to resistance from local residents and landowners.

"A mosque is a prayer house of Allah. It cannot be demolished," said Aftabuddin who donated land for the mosque. "They [Rajuk] can change the direction of the road keeping the mosque intact or can move the mosque to any other suitable location in the area."

When Rajuk tried to shift the mosque to adjacent plots, it faced resistance from plot owners. "The landowners filed a writ petition before the High Court and the court has issued an injunction on acquisition of the lands," Aftabuddin said.

When asked, local lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed said, "I am trying to manage a piece of land for the mosque, considering public needs. I hope we will be able to solve the problem within the next week without causing offence."

Salahuddin said Rajuk has selected two adjacent plots for the relocation of the mosque and the owners of those plots would be given two Rajuk plots in Gendaria as compensation.

The mosque known as 'Baitul Mamur Jam-e Masjid' was established in 1991 on 10 kathas of land. Later, a madrasa-cum-orphanage named 'Kashemia Hafizia Madrasa and Yatimkhana' was established inside the mosque.