BNP leaders forced locals to hand over land for Zia Orphanage

Many of the original owners of the nine bigha land in Bogra acquired to set up the Zia Orphanage have alleged they were forced to hand over their property to the Trust at a price much lower than market value. In 1993, local BNP leaders allegedly paid around Tk1,000 for each decimal of land in the Gabtoli, using threats and intimidation, claimed the former land owners. Visiting the area, this correspondent found a signboard carrying the name of Zia Orphanage Trust on the nine bighas of land, which is located beside a local government school. One of the sellers, a retired madrasa teacher named Musa Alam said: “I had initially bought 32 decimals of land at Tk47,000. “In 1993, the then Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abdul Mannan and a police official came to my home and threatened me with imprisonment if I refused to sign over the land.” He claimed that he was forced to sell his land at a meager price of Tk1,000 per decimal of land that year. Laxmi Sarkar, who owned some land in the area, told the Dhaka Tribune: “BNP leaders asked a number of people, such as Rabindranath, Rakkhuni, Sangkari Bala, Musa Alam, Nizam Uddin and me, to sign over 9 bighas of land property to them at a price of Tk1,000 per decimal of land. “The market value of this land is currently at least Tk60,000 to Tk70,000 per decimal. Many people left the country for India after they were forced to sign over their property.” Another local, named Nizam Uddin Master said: “BNP leaders claimed that an orphanage will be built on the 9 bighas of land. I had bought my land at a cost of Tk40,000 per decimal, but I sold it to them for Tk1,000 per decimal in 1993.” He added: “I was summoned at the UNO’s office to sign the deal. They did not even let me read the agreement. Later, I heard that the land was purchased in the name of BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman.” Nizam also claimed that the BNP leaders extorted money from the land owners, saying that Tarique Rahman will give their children jobs. However, the BNP leaders later disappeared with the money. Commenting on the matter, Gabtoli Upazila Awami League president H Azam Khan said: “Milton, under orders from Tarique Rahman, took possession of the land, but paid nothing to several original owners.” Azam also pointed out that the orphanage is yet to be built there. However, Milton, the general secretary of local BNP unit denied allegations of land grabbing and extortion. “By order of Tarique Rahman, the owners were paid Tk1,200 for per decimal of land in December, 1993. Land prices were low at that time. No one was threatened into signing over their land property without compensation,” the BNP leader told Dhaka Tribune.