Md: Asif Chowdhury, Special Correspondent:
In South Keraniganj, allegations have been raised against a housing establishment named 'Government Digital City' for forcibly filling agricultural land and water bodies with sand. Victims have also reported harassment of local farmers for obstructing the land filling and filing extortion cases against five individuals.
Today, Wednesday (16 September) around 12 PM, about fifty men and women formed a human chain in the Paina Noaigaon area of the Tegharia Union in South Keraniganj to voice these allegations.
Local farmer Dulal Mia stated that people from 'Government Digital City' have forcibly filled his ancestral 26 decimals of agricultural land in the Paschimdi Mouza with sand. He alleged that due to his obstruction, he and four others have been implicated in an extortion case by Abul Sarker, a partner of the housing establishment. Among the accused in the case are physically disabled Monowar Hossain, his son Riyad Hossain, auto-rickshaw driver Anis, and farmer Shahidullah. How can a farmer extort money near housing, and how can the police take the case? Government Digital City is owned by wealthy individuals who use their money to manipulate the police against us. We are poor working people; will we get justice?
Monowar Hossain said, "My two legs are disabled. I am accused of asking for extortion from the company's people. Due to the case, I am spending money and have to go to court. I am in great distress. In this country, protesting against injustice brings trouble."
Farmer Shahidullah complained, "We are being threatened in various ways. Even after being on bail in the case, the police come at night and harass us." Locals allege that agricultural land and water bodies in the Paschimdi Mouza of South Keraniganj and Char Paschimdi Mouza of Munshiganj's Sirajdikhan Upazila are being filled to establish housing projects. They also claim that sand is being dumped daily to fill farmers' lands in these areas.
Landowner Riyad Hossain stated that there should be no opportunity to fill their land with sand without the consent of the landowners. "We are protesting peacefully. The administration must ensure that no one is implicated in false or harassing cases for protesting. The MD of Government Digital City, Khorshed Sarker, threatens ordinary people. My father is physically disabled. He cannot walk. Yet, he is accused of demanding extortion from housing. How can a physically disabled person be implicated in an extortion case? ASP Tarikul Islam of Dhaka District Police is said to be a friend of Khorshed Sarker. That is why Khorshed Sarker claims that the police are in his pocket. And the result is that we see extortion cases against the disabled. He uses ASP Tarikul to harass people and file various cases. He used to spread propaganda in the area as a supporter of the fascist former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan."
Speakers at the human chain stated that if land is needed for any housing project, it should be negotiated with the landowners through legal processes. However, forcibly filling land with sand and threatening locals with lawsuits for obstructing this will create panic among the community.
They further stated that urgent intervention from the administration is needed to protect agricultural land and ensure the rights of landowners. They also demanded an investigation into the allegations of illegal sand filling and action against those responsible.
From the human chain, demands were made to stop the forced filling of sand on privately owned land, protect agricultural land, stop harassment of landowners and farmers, and not to harass anyone in false extortion cases.
Denying the allegations, Abul Sarker, Vice Chairman of Government Digital City, said, "A party is conspiring against us with falsehoods."
Keraniganj Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Umar Faruk stated that agricultural land and water bodies cannot be filled without permission. If anyone engages in such illegal activities, action will be taken against them according to the law.
News Published By:
Bangladesh Diary
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