Local residents of Savar and Turag thana on Saturday burnt down 17 covered boats allegedly used for renting out to young boys and girls seeking private time for love jaunts on the waters in Ashulia, police said.
Turag thana officer-in-charge Abu Saleh Mohammad Ansaruddin said the local people for a long time had been complaining about unsocial activities allegedly being carried out on the boats by youths.
The boat owners were repeatedly asked to remove the covers on their boats, but they did not comply, he added.
The police official, however, said it was not appropriate for the local people to take the law in their own hand.
Sources said that in early morning some local residents went to the waterfront and requested the boat owners not to cover their boats.
But as the owners did not care and went ahead with the covers on their boats, the local people then got agitated and decided to burn the boats.
It was alleged the boat owners charged a handsome amount of money and allowed the teens to use their boats for such pleasure jaunts.
According to the boat owners, they charged Tk 100 for an hour of traveling on the water.
It was further alleged that the boat owners also sold condoms and other contraceptives to the youths.
