Residents of Boro Maghbazar, Siddeshwari and Ulon moujas yesterday demanded cancellation of the current design of the Hatirjheel project, as about 400-500 families of these moujas will be homeless if the project is implemented with the current design. They urged the government to implement the much-awaited project with the previous design for the sake of their lives. "About 400-500 families will be homeless if the Hatirjheel project is implemented with the new design as the border of the project has been changed in the new design,' said Master MA Hamid, a resident of Nayatola in Boro Maghbazar area, at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city. In a written statement, he said, "We also want the implementation of the Hatirjheel project and the government will save hundreds of families from being homeless if the project is implemented with the previous design.' "We have been living here paying all the government taxes, but our existence is now at stake,' he added. "The activities to acquire pucca, semi-pucca houses and buildings in the areas by extending about 800-900-feet lands in the south from the main canal will cause a huge damage to our lives as hundreds of families from middle and lower-middle class groups will be evicted,' he said. Engineer Wahed Khan, also a resident of the area, said, "About 450 pucca and semi-pucca houses and seven Rajuk-approved multi-storied buildings will be demolished if the new design is implemented. What will be our fate if these building were demolished?' Showing a map, he said, "Although we have not received any letter of acquiring our houses till date, we have got this map of the new design that shows houses of the three moujas are also included in it.' Besides, it was also hung in the Army Camp at the project site and Rajuk, he said. People of Hatirjheel project are also measuring lands in our areas and some even are saying the project will be extended further, he said. "We contacted many people, including Rajuk and project people but none gave any information,' he added. Abdur Razzak, also a resident of the area, alleged that about 80 bighas of lands have been extended in the new design in a planned way whereas some areas have been excluded in the new design. A vested quarter is conspiring to foil the project, he said. They urged the government to implement the project with the previous design to save hundreds of families from being homeless. Abdul Awal, Khandaker Aminul Islam, Abu Sufian and many other residents of the three moujas were also present at the press conference.