The residents of Mironjilla Harijan Colony have protested Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh’s remarks on television where he termed the community’s children as teen gangs, drug dealers.
Some people from the community said their children, despite facing countless challenges, are pursuing education in various institutions across the city. Yet, DSCC mayor wrongfully harassed and labeled their children as teen gangs, drug dealers.
They said these during a press conference to protest against the DSCC mayor’s recent remarks.
They demanded an immediate halt to the evictions and the permanent assignment of the Mironjilla land to the colony's residents.
The press conference was chaired by Babu Krishna Lal, the coordinator of the Harijan and Dalit Land Protection Alliance, and the statement was read by the organisation's secretary, Babu Nirmal Chandra Das.
During the press conference, they said that 400 years ago, a compassionate woman named Miran Bai donated land in Old Dhaka for their ancestors to reside in what is now known as Mironjilla Harijan Colony. This address has been the permanent home for nearly 6,000 residents since then.
They further said that they live crammed into 8/10 sqft rooms with 3/4 families each, yet neither they are island dwellers nor a displaced community; they are citizens of this country. Despite working in important divisions of the City Corporation, they lack security.
On June 4, they were informed that some families in the Miranzilla Harijan Colony would be evicted to make way for a multistory market, necessitating the demolition of about 20 houses. The next day, without notice, a magistrate commenced the eviction with two bulldozers and four platoons of riot police. The eviction was halted due to the resistance from children.
On Wednesday, a group of miscreants attacked on the residents of Mironzilla Sweeper Colony in Bangshal, resulting in injuries to 30 people, including children.
The incident occurred around 12pm on Wednesday when several outsiders began pelting stones and brickbats at the colony.
Residents reported that after multiple failed attempts to evict them, the attack was launched to intimidate them.
They alleged that MA Awal Hossain, councilor of Ward 33, orchestrated these attacks on the Harijan community.
Following the incident, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed DSCC to maintain the status quo on the eviction process of the residents of the Harijan community in Mironjilla Colony near Aga Sadek Road of Bangshal in Old Dhaka.
Supreme Court asks DSCC to maintain status quo on eviction of Harijan communityThe apex court order has been verbally communicated to the DSCC Executive Magistrate Md Moniruzzaman, according to BLAST (Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust).
The DSCC filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division challenging the High Court order.
The apex court is scheduled to hold hearing on the DSCC's petition on Thursday.
What happened earlier
According to sources from the property department of DSCC, the corporation owns about 3.27 acres of land in Mironjilla Sweeper Colony.
On July 2, 2019, the Physical Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission requested the local government secretary not to construct any commercial buildings or markets on the land of Mironjilla Harijan City Colony.
On July 5 of that year, former planning minister MA Mannan wrote a letter to the then mayor of DSCC Sayeed Khokon, requesting the resolution of the job and housing issues of the colony residents.
On May 16, 2022, the Harijan Sebak Samiti requested the mayor of DSCC to solve the housing crisis by constructing five 10-story buildings.
On the same day, the councilor of ward 33 of south city, Awal Hossain, also requested the mayor to build five 10-story buildings in Mironjilla Harijan Sweeper Colony.
Harijan community attacked in Bangshal, 15 injuredOn June 4, the residents of the colony were informed that some families in the Mironjilla Harijan Colony would be evicted to make way for a multistory market, necessitating the demolition of about 20 houses. The next day, without notice, a magistrate commenced the eviction with two bulldozers and four platoons of riot police. The eviction was halted due to the resistance from the locals.
On June 13, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to refrain from evicting the Harijan community on Aga Khan Road in the city's Bongshal area until alternative accommodation is ensured for them.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the eviction drive at Harijan Colony without taking any measure for their accommodation should not be declared illegal.
The residents of the colony said that their ancestors were brought from India, believed to be around Kanpur and Bihar regions, 400 years ago to work in sanitation.
Currently, over 500 families live in the colony in a small space. Most of the family members are employed in sanitation work by the city corporation. Some have died, and others have been dismissed from their jobs.
All Harijan community members have this colony listed as their permanent or temporary address on their national ID cards.
