Family passes night on street after landlord ‘drives them out for rent’

A landlord in Chattogram's Lalkhan Bazar area allegedly drove a family out from their house forcing them to pass the night on the streets for failing to pay house rent.

The incident took place in Dubai Colony at High Level Road of Lalkhan Bazar yesterday night.

A photo of the family sitting on footpath at Wasa Intersection of the port city went viral on social media prompting police to intervene in the matter helping them to enter their residence today.

Sri Dam, one of the members of the family told The Daily Star that his elder brother had a contractual job at Chattogram Wasa. During the first lockdown last year, his brother lost his job making them unable to pay three months of house rent.

"In the meantime, Covid-19 infections are surging in the country again and lockdown was imposed. We could not pay the rent though the landlord was pressurising us a lot," he said.

The landlord Md Mostafa knocked at their door last evening asking them to go out, he said. Once they went out, the landlord locked up the home and left.

"We had no option but to spend the night on the street. Police came today and helped us to enter our home again", he added.

Abu Bakar Siddique, additional deputy commissioner (north) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police told The Daily Star that they took prompt action after they came to know of the matter.

"This is really disheartening to see a landlord driving the family out over house rent. I sent a team to the spot and helped the family enter their home. I told the landlord that police will take responsibility if the family can't pay the house rent. In this pandemic, we must stand by each other", he said.

Landlord Md Mostafa could not be reached over phone for his comment.