Bid to Free Raja Sitaram's Land in Magura
Eviction notices on poor people sparing the rich 'grabbers'
Like several other rich grabbers, owner of this blue coloured house, constructed on an illegally occupied land just two yards from the main building of Raja Sitaram Roy's kacharibari, an archaeological site in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district, has evaded the recent eviction notice issued by the local administration that asked 18 poor families to remove their makeshift houses on the same premises. Photo: STAR
The local administration has served notices on 18 ultra-poor people to quit the land on the premises of the historic 'kachharibari' (office building) of Raja Sitaram Roy at Mohammadpur upazila headquarters in the district, allegedly sparing the rich and influential people also living there. The 'discriminatory action' to free the land of the archaeological site has made the whole process questionable, said locals. Following a letter signed by the Khulna regional director of the archaeological department, Mohammadpur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) on October 3 sent notices to 18 families in the area to shift their sheds to vacate the occupied land of Sitaram's 'kachharibari' within October 10, official sources said. The authorities, however, verbally extended till November 10 the time to vacate the land, now identified as the land of No 1 khas according to S/A (state acquisition) record, following request from the locals, officials said. “The initiative to recover the grabbed land of Raja Sitaram's 'kachharibari' is commendable. But it is a matter of great regret that they served notice on only the distressed people and spared the solvent influential people who have built palatial buildings on the same land,” said Khasrul Alam, former secretary of Mohammadpur Upazila Banik Samity (businessmen's association). Most of the land earlier belonging to Raja Sitaram's 'kachharibari' had been grabbed by the local people. According to the official records in Mohammadpur upazila land office, at least 163 decimals of land is still under the 'kachharibari'. Of the said land, the relics of the archaeological site stand on 35 decimals, 18 poor families live on 54 decimals while the rest 74 decimals of land is under the occupation of some local influential people. Surprisingly, the notice to quit the land has been served only on the 18 poor families. Facing eviction from the dwelling places, they have demanded arrangement for accommodation anywhere. Mohammadpur UNO Mohammad Samsuddoza denied any partiality in serving the eviction notice, saying, "Notice has been served on 18 families as they are living on the No 1 khas land. If anymore people are seen involved in land grabbing, they also must be evicted." Replying to a question, the UNO said if any of the evicted poor people wants, they would be accommodated at any dwelling place under Asrayan project. “Recovery of the grabbed land would be a laudable act as it is a historical site of the Mughal period and has the potential to become a tourist spot,” said Habibur Rahman, vice chairman of Mohammadpur upazila parishad. "But we want full recovery of the grabbed land. The administration should serve notice on every occupier irrespective of their identity. They should also arrange accommodation for the evicted poor people elsewhere," he said. According to historical records, Mughal governor Shaista Khan gave Raja Sitaram Roy a jaigir (fief) in the then Bhushana pargana and conferred him 'Raja' title in the second half of the sixteenth century for his dedication and heroism in defeating Mog pirates and Pathan rebels. Raja Sitaram set up his 'kachharibari' at a place belonging to present Mohammadpur upazila in Magura district. Only some relics of the 'kachharibari' have survived the wear and tear of time and nature.
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