Rivals fell over 180 trees on disputed land
A group of people captured a disputed land and cut down over 180 trees and 400 bamboos from some bamboo clusters on the land at Jagannathpur village in Sadar upazila in three days for January 27.
There has been a dispute between two groups--one led by Abdul Majid and Anwar Ali and the other by Shahjahan Ali and Abdur Rahman--of the village over ownership of 13 bighas of land for the last three years.
The land was in possession of Majid and Anwar. On April 26 in 2010, Shahjahan and Rahman filed a case with the Assistant Judges's Court, Satkhira, claiming ownership of the land. Majid and Anwar filed a petition with the same court, seeking a permanent injunction.
After hearing, the court asked both parties to maintain status quo and fixed March 1 this year for hearing on the petition filed by Majid and Anwar.
Police quoted local people as saying that a group of people led by Shahjahan and Rahman captured the land at around 8:00am on January 27. They later built two thatched houses and felled over 180 mango, coconut, plum and other trees and 400 bamboos from some bamboo clusters on the land.
Contacted, Shahjahan and Anwar said they felled the trees as they are the real owner of the land. "Abdul Majid and others forcibly occupied the land", they added.
Majid said Shahjahan and Anwar cut down the trees in a bid to occupy the entire land. We went to Sadar Police Station to file a case against the two the same day, but police refused to accept the case, Majid alleged.
On January 29, they submitted a petition to Satkhira Police Superintendent (SP) Habibur Rahman, accusing Shahjahan and Rahman of felling the trees. The SP ordered Sub-Inspector (SI) Mahbubur Rahman of the Detective Branch (DB) of police to investigate the matter and take action against those involved.
Sub-Inspector Mahbubur Rahman rushed to the spot, seized the felled trees and kept them in the custody of Shibpur Union Parishad (UP) chairman. After investigation, we will take stern action against the persons involved, SI Mahbub said.
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