The government claims 95 decimals of land surrounding a historical site as its own, but locals claim it actually belongs to the Atia Mosque at Atia village under Delduar in Tangail. Locals alleged that the land was acquired with an intention to lease it to local leaders who were politically empowered.
The historical mosque that had been standing on 12 decimals of land was registered as Waqf land in the record book of Delduar Assistant Commissioner’s (Land) office. But the government claims that the canal in front of the mosque on around 80 decimals of land, and another 15 decimals of land including ablution space, room for Imam and the roads surrounding the mosque is actually ‘khas’ or government-owned land.
Locals think there is a conspiracy to grab the land of the 400-year old mosque.
Maksudur Rahman Imran, secretary of Atia Mosque Committee, said that it has been only two months since he came to know that the 95 decimals of land were listed as khas land.
Mir Moshrraf Hossain, chairman of the committee, said they will file a case with Delduar AC (land) office.
Nasrin Alam Sathi, assistant commissioner of Delduar land office, said: “Land belonging to Waqf estate cannot be enlisted as khas land. In this case, committee members have to file a case with our office.”
Md Mokbul Hossain, deputy Secretary of Department of Archeology, said “Usually we take legal actions through Regional Officer if any Waqf land is mistakenly recorded as khas land.”
But he was not sure whether the regional office had any plans to take any legal actions, as the Regional Officer Atatur Rahman had been out of the capital for training. He added that the regional officer will take the decision after coming back to office.
The renovation work of the mosque started once in 1988 but the work was undone, and since then the mosque was never renovated again.
Afroza Khan Mita, Assistant Director of Epigraphy and Numismatics department, said: “We have shortage of fund and manpower, and no officers were recruited in last 20 years. So, it will take time to renovate the mosque.”
Zamindar Syed Khan Panni, who received the then Atia Pargana as a gift from Mughal Emperor Jahangir in early 17th century had built the mosque in 1609.
