Ruling party men 'grab' RHD land in Lalmonirhat
A few ruling party men with the connivance of a section of officials are illegally constructing shops on a piece of Roads and Highways land in Lalmonirhat.Photo: STAR
At least 17 decimals of Roads and Highway Department (RHD) land have been 'grabbed' after felling 120 deodar trees there allegedly by ruling party men at Sadar Hospital Road in the town. The grabbers have also started constructing market on the land. Most of the 50 shops of the market will be allotted to the party men, sources said. Locals said during the last state of emergency, joint forces with the help of municipal authorities demolished some illegal structures on the land and planted deodar trees. Land grabbers however claimed that they did nothing 'illegal' as the plots were allotted to them by the municipality as per its rules. An AL leader at Sadar Hospital Road, on condition of anonymity said,” I got a plot from the municipality on condition of Tk 1000 annual toll.” Lalmonirhat municipality mayor, also AL leader Reazul Islam Rintu, however, claimed that the authorities, being its owner, allotted the land to some businessmen for raising municipality fund. “The ex-mayor of the municipality with the help of joint forces demolished structures on the land and planted some deodar trees unnecessarily,” the mayor said. Ex-mayor Mosharof Hossain Rana said, during the state of emergency, joint forces decided to plant the trees following talks with the authorities concerned of RHD for developing the hospital area. Lalmonirhat RHD executive engineer Ilyas Shah claimed that the hospital road falls under the RHD. So RHD should be the real roadside land owner. RHD has not allotted the land to municipality or any person, he said. “Hearing the matter, I have already informed it to the higher authorities to take necessary steps officially as per rules,” Ilyas Shah added.
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