Kurigram Land Dispute: Rivals loot mustard from farmer’s land

Criminals took away cultivated mustard from a farmer's land at Jadurchar Purbapara village in Kurigram's Roumari Upazila on Saturday.

Earlier on Thursday night, land owner Abul Kalam filed a written complaint with Roumari Police Station accusing eight people, including Roumari Sadar Union Assistant Land Assistant Shahadat Hossain.

Kalam, a farmer of the village, said he has been enjoying 15 decimals of land (RS Khatian No 2249/Holding No 2249), which he inherited from his ancestor, for over 50 years. 

Farmer Kalam said he lodged the written complaint as one Abul Fazal, son of late Keramat Ali of the same area, and his men were threatening him to take away all his mustard, he cultivated on that land.

But, despite lodging the complaint on Thursday night, Fazal and his men forcibly took away all the mustard from his land on Saturday morning, Kalam said.

He further alleged that Sadar Union's Assistant Land Officer (Tahashildar) Shahadat Hossain helped Fazal in recording the land in Fazal's name and take possession of his ancestral land.

Seventy-five-year-old Abdul Wahed of the area said the land dispute between Kalam and Fazal arises since Tahashildar Shahadat provided the Xerox copy of DCR (Duplicate Copy of Revenue) to Fazal without conducting any legal survey.

Sub Inspector (SI) of Roumari Police Station Almash Hossain said after receiving the written complaint he visited the disputed land on Friday afternoon and asked both the parties to appear at the police station at 10:00am on Sunday with related documents.

However, Fazal and his did not comply with the police's direction and took away the mustard from the disputed land on Saturday morning, the SI said.

Officer in Charge of Roumari Police Station Mantaser Billah said they seized the looted mustard and kept it under police custody.

Roumari Upazila Niarbahi Officer (UNO) Al-Imran said there are a number of complaints and allegations against Tahashildar Shahadat including providing DCR copies in exchange of money and without visiting and surveying the field.