Market named after AC land to avoid eviction

A syndicate of traders allegedly in collaboration with a section of administration staff has taken initiative to build permanent structures on a government land at Chatmohar upazila under the district and named it "AC Land Super Market" to evade eviction.

The syndicate members of 'Omritokunda Haat' in the Railbazar area also opened a bank account titled 'AC Land Super Market' at the local Agrani Bank branch for the purpose last month, sources said.

 "Some 70 shops would be built at Omritokunda Haat and possession would cost Tk 40 thousand each," said Md Rawshan Alam, a trader of Amritokunda Haat.  A syndicate guided by the local administration has arranged the allotment of the shops, he added.

Earlier, the local administration headed by Chatmohar AC (Land) Md Mizanur Rahman evicted the traders as the latter had illegally built shops on government land at Chatmohar Omritokunda Haat. He also recovered 35 decimals of land.

Later the local administration identified 70 traders as genuine ones and planned to rehabilitate them on the government land at the haat, the AC said.

Asked about the naming of a market after a government official, the AC said when he came to know it he asked the shop owners to change the name.

Meanwhile, one Md Golam Nabi on behalf of the proposed market owners opened a savings account at the Agrani Bank's Rail Bazar Branch on August 16 and deposited Tk 6 lakh there, said bank sources.

Locals said the syndicate led by Golam Nabi and Abdul Matin managed the administration to build the market in the name of AC land so that they can avoid further eviction drive.

They are now trying to sell the shops at the market according to their choice depriving the genuine traders, said the traders, adding that the syndicate men are trying to build over a hundred shops designated for 70 people.

Golam Nabi, however, refused to talk to the correspondent about this matter.