200-year-old playground grabbed in Joypurhat

Frustration grips the people of Roar village in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat as the 200-year-old playground in the locality has been grabbed allegedly by a ruling party man.

Locals said Atiquzzaman Moon, convener of Krishak League's Akkelpur upazila unit, planted some banana trees on June 29, grabbing a portion of the playground.

Nearly 200-years ago, local Muslims donated 12 bighas of land to build a shrine (mazar) in the name of Shah Sufi Sikandar Ali.

The shrine was built in two bighas of the land and the rest 10 bighas were open to general public for years.

Local children used the field as their playground. Besides, local Muslims had been holding their annual religious congregation in the field since its establishment.

Villagers said Moon along with his hired goons went to the field on June 29 and planted banana plants there in a bid to grab the land.

Shahidul Islam of Pashchimpara village said many local educational institutions used to hold their annual sports function at the playground for years.

If the grabbing continues the institutions will face serious trouble in holding such programmes, Shahidul added.

Recently, people of the adjacent areas submitted a memorandum to Joypurhat deputy commissioner and superintendent of police to free the land from the grabber and bring its previous environment back.

Local journalists could not talk to Moon for his comment over the issue as he kept rejecting their phone calls.

When asked, Officer-in-Charge Sajjad Hossain of Akkelpur Police Station said they have already visited the spot and are trying to solve the matter in a friendly manner.