Azad, Lakshmipur Correspondent:For nine months after the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, the land of the remote char that had emerged on the banks of the Meghna River in Raipur, Laxmipur was in the possession of local influential people. Thousands of people who lost their land due to the erosion of the Meghna River found a place to rest their heads in the remote char area. Finally, after nine months, more than a hundred landowners started paddy cultivation on their 1,200 acres of arable land on Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday (May 28), a prayer was organized at Kanibgarchar Jame Mosque in the Bairaghat area of Meghnar Char in Dakshin Charbangshi UP of the upazila at 9 am. At that time, more than a hundred landowners including Shahida Begum, Selim Gazi, Adud Khan, Anwar Hossain Hawlader, Md. Abdul Quddus, Sumon Hawlader, Mostafa Bepari, Mohammad Ali Molla, Zakir Hossain Hawlader, Md. Liton and Kamal were present at the prayer ceremony led by Mufti Syed Taher Jaberi Al Madani, a renowned scholar from Haidargonj in Char Ababil UP of Raipur.
Farmers Liton Hossain and Anwar Hossain said that in November 2024, about 6,000 government khas lands in Meghna Char of North and South Charbangshi UP were occupied by some influential leaders, including former Upazila Chairman A’League leader Altaf Master, for the past 17 years. Despite many attempts by the real owners to recover these lands, they were not given back.
On December 20 and 21, bloody clashes broke out between Upazila Sechchhasebak Dal member secretary Shamim Gazi and his followers and Uttar Charbangshi UP BNP vice-president Faruk Gazi and his followers over the occupation of Meghna Char, fish ghat and market in Raipur. In this, party offices, fish warehouses, houses, shops were vandalized and looted. At the same time, two motorcycles were set on fire. In this incident, on December 22, at the behest of former Raipur MP Abul Khair Bhuiyan, the Upazila BNP leaders held a press conference and dissolved all committees of the BNP and its associate organizations in Uttar Charbangshi UP.
On April 7, a BNP activist named Saiz Uddin lost his life in a clash between former vice-president of Uttar Charbangshi Union BNP Faruk Kabiraj and member secretary of Upazila Krishak Dal Shamim Gazi Group over dominance. Seven days later, injured volunteer Dal leader Jasim Uddin Bepari died while undergoing treatment in Dhaka. Three days after the incident, deceased Saiz Uddin’s brother Hanif Dewan filed a murder case naming 26 people, including BNP leader Faruk Kabirraj, and 186 others as unknown accused.
It is worth noting that although the landless are supposed to be officially settled on these lands in the Meghna Char areas of Uttar Charbangshi, Dakshin Charbangshi and Uttar Char Ababil UP in Raipur, the land is being taken over by influential people in the name of rehabilitation with the connivance of a group of dishonest land officials. To recover this land, the land owners have protested, held meetings, filed applications and cases at the police station, army camp, UNO, Assistant Commissioner of Land and courts.
South Charbangshi UP Chairman Abu Saleh Mintu Faraji and North Char Ababil UP Chairman Abu Jafar Dulal Hawladar hunted down the truth and said, “Earlier, a few Awami League leaders were in possession. After August 5, the char has been in possession of BNP leaders for the last nine months. Now, I have learned that some parts of the land have been taken over by the real land owners and have started cultivation.”
Former Upazila Chairman of Raipur Upazila Parishad Altaf Master and his followers, former members Mofiz Khan, Abul Mal and Faruk Chhayal, along with a few loyalists, had occupied hundreds of acres of Khas land in Charghasia, Charkanibaga and Charkachia for years. No landless person could protest against these issues.
Eight farmers, who did not wish to be named, said that for the past 17 years, former upazila chairman Altaf Master had been in possession of a vast tract of char land. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina, a group of 30-50 local influential people became desperate to take over the char for the past nine months.
Uttar Charbangshi Union Assistant Land Officer Md. Mamun said that the government khas land that has emerged in the heart of Meghna has been in the possession of A’League leaders until now. Currently, influential people have occupied about 6,700 acres of government khas property in these chars.
Former chairman of Raipur Upazila Parishad Altaf Hossain said, a case is going on in the court regarding several hundred acres of property in the char area. My property was in my possession till now. After the fall of the government, BNP leaders of North and South Charbangshi UP took possession of the chars.
Upazila BNP convener Nazmul Islam Mithu and member secretary Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan said that those who have documents will occupy the land of thousands of acres of char land that has risen on the banks of the Meghna River. If any leader and activist of BNP and its affiliated organizations is involved in wrongdoing, the party system becomes the leader. In the incident of a fight between the leaders and activists of the party focusing on expanding dominance, all the committees of the BNP and its affiliated organizations in that union were dissolved.
Laxmipur Deputy Commissioner Rajib Kumar Sarkar said, “I will visit the chars not only in the Meghna River basin of Raipur, but also the chars under four upazilas based on allegations that they are in the possession of influential people. No one can occupy the government’s special property in the char area without permission. Legal action will be taken if they do so.”
