State-owned Agrani Bank has failed to hold on to land, which had been grabbed by Awami League MP Haji Md Selim, worth hundreds of crores of taka, in their possession even for a week.
The construction materials of the bank were removed from the property area and a signboard claiming ownership of Haji Selim's wife was put up. The gate of the boundary wall was locked as well, reports Bangla Tribune.
Meanwhile, bank officials are not trying to resolve the matter out of fear.
Following the incident, the Agrani Bank authorities filed a general diary (GD) with Chawkbazar police station on November 5. A letter was sent to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in this regard as well.
The disputed property belonged to Habib Bank from 1947 following the partition of the country. After Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971, Habib Bank and Commerce Bank were merged to form Agrani Bank.
Agrani Bank established a branch in that piece of property back then. The branch was inaugurated by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also had a bank account there
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Later the branch was relocated to a nearby building due to space issues. However, the bank authorities took an Initiative to construct new buildings on the land.
The bank's operations came to a standstill in March this year following the detection of the coronavirus in the country.
Haji Selim's men used the opportunity to occupy the place. They bulldozed the old building and built a boundary wall.
Baishnab Das Mondal, assistant general manager in charge of the branch, lodged a written complaint with Chawkbazar police station on May 20. He also lodged a complaint with RAB-3 on June 15.
Although the law enforcement agencies did not take any action at the time, the land was recovered on October 26, the day after the arrest of Erfan Selim, son of Haji Selim.
But on November 4, Haji Selim's men reoccupied the land, bank officials said. However, no official of the bank agreed to speak to the media through disclosing their identity.
Meanwhile, associates of Haji Selim locked the entrance by tearing down the boundary wall built by the bank. A signboard was put up saying Haji Selim's wife Gulshanara Begum is the owner of the land.