Prime govt lands grabbed in Cox's Bazar

Influential quarters have allegedly grabbed government land worth several hundred crore taka in the heart of tourist town Cox's Bazar, but the administration has not taken any steps to recover the state property.
It was found during visits that those quarters have grabbed about 10 acres of government khas land adjacent to Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner's bungalow, 10 to 12 acres at Bijoy Sarani, 20 acres adjacent to New Sea Beach Road, three to four acres adjacent to Cox's Bazar Officers' Club, five acres on the west side of Saikat Post Office, and one acre adjacent to marine fisheries research institute.
Sources at Cox's Bazar sub-registrar's office said the total value of the grabbed land is several hundred crore taka at present government price of Tk 23 crore per acre. 
Sources at Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner's office said Bangladesh Biman was given 10 decimal government khas land at Bijoy Sarani area to set up its office. Though more than one decade has passed Biman authorities could not take possession of the land owing to threats from the land grabbers.
A spot visit revealed that the grabbers have set up structures on the land without permission from the proper authorities. Some grabbers have even been selling the grabbed land near the DC's bungalow and Baharchhara High School at high price. They are also renting houses built on the land. 
Drug peddling and anti-social activities have been going unabatedly at these illegally built houses, it was alleged. 
Talking with this correspondent, Md Nurul Islam, who grabbed government land in Sea Beach area on New Sea Beach Road, said, "We are citizens of this country. We are landless. So we have built a house on the government land to meet our minimum requirement of housing." He said they were not illegal land grabbers.
Gias Uddin, president of Cox's Bazar Society, a citizen's organisation, said the grabbers are occupying more and more land as some dishonest people in the administration are allegedly collaborating with them. 
Deputy Commissioner Md Ali Hossain said the incidents of grabbing government khas land is not new in Cox's Bazar, and it cannot be changed overnight.
He, however, said the removal of illegal structures on government land has started, and a list of the land grabbers is also being prepared. He sought cooperation of all to free government lands from illegal occupation.