Ruling party men 'grab' private land at Cox's Bazar
A signboard, put up on the land of Chandrima Housing Society at Kolatali in Cox's Bazar on Sunday night, claims that three ruling party leaders own three acres of land there by purchase although its actual owners, five people including professors and housewives, have not sold the land to anyone. Photo: STAR
Three leaders of associate organisations of ruling Awami League have allegedly grabbed land of five plots worth about Tk one crore belonging to five persons including teachers and housewives inside Chandrima Housing Society at Kolatoli in Cox's Bazar town. The three alleged grabbers are district Jubo League General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, district Swechchhasebok League General Secretary Kaisarul Haque and district Jubo Mohila League President Ayesha Siraj. During a visit to the spot on Monday, this correspondent found five signboards hung on the land of Chandrima Housing Society to the south of Kolatoli hills adjacent to the sea beach. There are writings of the signboards claiming that Mahbubur Rahman, Kaisarul Haque Jewel and Ayesha Siraj and others owned the land measuring three acres by virtue of purchase. "On Sunday night, some criminals forcibly entered the area of Chandrima Housing Society, grabbed five plots of land (bearing numbers 31, 39, 40, 41 and 42) and hung signboards there in the name of some leaders of the associate organisations of the ruling party," said President of Chandrima Housing Society Prof Azizur Rahman. He said the Society, registered with the Department of Cooperatives in 1995, bought 25 acres of land from different persons, divided the area into 170 plots and gave allotment to its members. The Chandrima Housing Society, registered with the Department of Cooperatives in 1995, bought 25 acres of land from different persons, divided the area into 170 plots and gave allotment to its members. The real owners of the grabbed land are retired principal of Cox's Bazar Government College Sirajul Mostafa, Professor of Chittagong Government Mohsin College Hasina Momtaz, a local businessman's daughter Nawshin Awal, and housewives Lutfunnessa and Sufia Akhter. Prof Hasina Momtaz said she would resort to law against grabbing of her plot. Asked about grabbing the plots and hanging signboards, district Jubo League General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said he gave some 'advance money' to buy some land in the area and thereby the signboard was hung. "In case the land on which the signboard was hung fell under the Society's plots, I will return it," he said. Asked why it was claimed in the signboard that he was the owner of the land by virtue of purchase, Mahbubur Rahman said his workers did 'a little excess' in this regard. District Swechchhasebak's League GS Kaisarul Haque said he did not buy any land in Chandrima area. He said local workers of Swechchhsebok League and Jubo League informed him of acquiring some government khas land. He claimed that they hung the signboards without telling him anything about purchase of land. Jubo Mohila league's Ayesha Siraj said she heard about the hanging of signboard in her name but she or her family had no links with the matter. Requesting anonymity, a district-level leader of Awami League said they would extend full cooperation to the affected persons if they resort to law.
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