A local Awami League (AL) leader in collaboration with some local influential has pocketed a huge amount of money in the name of allocating plots from Roads and Highway (RHD) Department’s land in Seemakhali area of Magura.
Local sources said Joydeb Chatterjee, president of ward 4 unit of Awami League, had been doing the illegal plot business using an acre of land of Roads and Highways Department.
In January this year, a man along with Joydeb came to the land located beside Magura-Jessore Highway in Seemakhali area and measured it introducing himself as a “surveyor” at the office of Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Magura, said Saiful Islam, a resident of the area.
Subsequently, he informed the local people that the DC was the owner of the land and the land would be allotted to local people splitting it into 95 plots.
Joydeb later began taking Tk one lakh for per plot from local people promising them to allot plots as early as possible.
The wrongdoers also promised people that they would be provided with relevant papers within possible shortest time after deposition of the amount to the DC office.
During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent talked to a good number of businessmen of Seemakhali Bazar.
The businessmen told the Dhaka Tribune that each of them had already given Tk one lakh to Joydeb and two of his aides for plots.
At least 100 people of the kitchen market and adjoining villages gave a total of Tk one crore to Joydeb and his associates for allotment of the plots, they said.
Expressing frustrations, the small traders said although they had given money to get allotment, Joydeb was yet to give them any legal documents from the DC office in favour of their plots.
“I have been running after Joydeb for the documents in favour of my ‘allotted’ plot, but to no effect even after three months”, said Syed Ali, a resident of Chhoygharia village under Satokhali union.
Sitting beside Syed, Abul Joarder of the same village echoed the same sentiment.
But Manjur Ahmed, another trader of the kitchen market, seems to be lucky as, he had taken back his Tk one lakh after holding several arbitrations in presence of local distinguished persons.
Motaleb Biswas, general secretary of Seemakhali Bzaar Committee, said, “From my childhood I know that the land is under the RHD jurisdiction, but it is a matter of great regret that they swallowed lakhs of taka from innocent people capitalising the government land.”
“Stern action should be taken against the culprits, who are involved in swindling the money,” he added.
When contacted, Joydeb Chatterjee, however, claimed that he did nothing “illegal” as he deposited all the money taken from the plot-seekers to the office of the DC.
“All the people who deposited money will be given plots”, he claimed.
When contacted over cell phone, the DC in Magura Masud Ahmed refuting the claim of Joydeb said he was not aware of any monetary deal regarding the allotment of plots in Seemakhali Bazar area.
When contacted, Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Subrata Kumar Datta said, “The DC office has no right to acquire the land which is under the jurisdiction of Roads and Highway.”
“Within possible shortest time, I will submit written complaints in connection with the wrongdoing to the higher authority”, he added.