Grabbers set houses of landless people afire
20 including physically challenged hurt in attacks
This khas land inhabited by landless people at Narardanga village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila gives a desolate look following arson attack and vandalism by hoodlums of a land grabber on Tuesday and Thursday. Photo: STAR
Around two hundred landless families including quite a few physically challenged people lost their shelters as alleged land grabbers attacked them and set fire to their houses on a khas land in Narardanga village of Sonarai union in Sadar upazila early Tuesday and again on Thursday night. At about 9:00pm on Thursday, a group of armed hoodlums led by Abdul Mannan attacked the landless people, victims and eyewitness said. They set ablaze six houses, beat the members of the house including women and children, threw away their belongings, forcing them to leave the place amid biting cold. Earlier on Monday noon, they threatened the landless people to vacate the area within 12 hours. They attacked the landless people early Tuesday, injuring 20 people including four physically challenged ones, and set fire to 16 houses. Fire fighters from Nilphamari and Saidpur brought the fire under control. Earlier, a few people including Abdul Mannan took lease of the khas land illegally. The then district administration in 2008 cancelled the lease and allowed landless people to live on an area of 13 acres of khas land, official sources said. A number of physically challenged people also took shelter there with permission from the authorities concerned. Meanwhile, the landless people's prayer for allotment of plots there remained pending with the deputy commissioner's office. Locals alleged that during Thursday's attack, the chairman of Sonarai union parishad was present on the spot but he left the place hurriedly, without taking any step to stop the attackers. The chairman had gone there to distribute food and clothes as relief to the victims of attack by grabbers on Tuesday. Asked about the matter, the chairman said, "The incident took place after I left the spot." Over two decades ago, land grabber Abdul Mannan suffered years of imprisonment as a convict as law enforcers recovered arms from his possession, locals said. Contacted, Mannan said, "I have documents of ownership of the land. Some people are instigating the landless people to live there and occupy the land." Visiting the site on Friday morning, this correspondent saw burnt bamboo pillars and corrugated iron sheets scattered on the spot while members of the victim families were loitering here and there amid panic. Meanwhile, hoodlums of the land grabbers moved freely in the area. There was also a damaged signboard of the office of landless and disabled people's association. When contacted, Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mazid said the perpetrators of the criminal offence must be brought to book. Abu Akkas Mia, officer in charge of Sadar police station, said, "Two cases have been filed regarding the incident. A man has been arrested in this connection and drive is on to nab the other criminals."
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