Political leaders of the Awami League and the BNP have allegedly constructed permanent infrastructure by grabbing government land in Barisal’s Gournadi upazila.
Gournadi land officials claimed that 79 decimal government land had been taken up in Khanzapur union.
The upazila land office had prepared a map during the caretaker government’s rule, marking 53 homesteads on 26 decimal, roads on 6 decimal and Toha kitchen market on 46 decimal of government land, which had been approved by the district land office in 2008.
However, a total of 53 leaders and activists of both the Awami League and the BNP allegedly grabbed those pieces of land and constructed permanent structures after the political government had taken office.
Among the grabbers, Motaleb Matubbar, a union president, Nur Alam Serniabad, an Awami League leader and former UP chairman, Akon Siddikur Rahman, a BNP leader and UP chairman, BNP activists Badsha Mia and Anowar Chowkidar, and AL activists Nimai Saha and Miraz Ali claimed that they had taken the land as lease from the administration.
Ashraf Ali Sardar, an Awami League leader, allegedly grabbed 6 decimal and Shahjahan Mia, a BNP leader grabbed 7 decimal of government land without taking any lease.
The Gournadi upazila nirbahi officer said none had the right to construct any permanent infrastructure on leased public land.
He also said the upazila land office had stopped renewing lease for the next year after receiving such allegations, adding that a land surveyor of the department was also asked to submit a report after a thorough survey.
