A controversy has erupted in Rupganj of Narayanganj, as allegations surface that a powerful minister has been gifted a piece of occupied land, defying a court order and sparking outrage among locals.
The land, located in Naora, has been embroiled in a legal dispute, with a court order prohibiting any activity on the disputed property. However, residents were stunned on December 30th to find a signboard of the minister's company erected on the site, seemingly installed by armed personnel and government officials using official vehicles.
Residents, claiming ownership of the land, vehemently deny ever selling it and accuse Rongdhonu Group Managing Director Rafik of illegally occupying the property and even demolishing a three-story house that stood on it.
Adding to the intrigue, the minister in question is neither from Rupganj nor even from the Dhaka division, raising further suspicions about the legitimacy of the land transfer and the potential influence peddling involved.
According to some reports, the minister's home is in Chattogram, further away from the disputed property.
According to the information, there are 95 percent land in three spots RS Khatian number 190, 191 and RS spot 763, 764, 758 in JL 110 of Naora Mauza, Rupganj, Narayanganj. The owner of the land is Abul Hossain of Kayetpara Union of Rupganj. His sons and daughters collectively filled the soil to build houses on 95 percent of the land.
Rafiqul Islam, the former chairman of Kayetpara Union, noticed that land. Unable to occupy the land, Rafiq and his terrorists demolished the three-storey house of Abul Hossain of Kayetpara Union, the owner of the land. The victim's family fled their homes in fear of their lives. After that Rafiq took over 95 percent of the land.
He is said to have gifted the land to the minister. The minister's people have installed this signboard in the name of his company Bismillah Marine Service on the land gifted by Rafiq.
Landowners said that Rafiqul Islam is involving the top powers of the country in his misdeeds to establish his single rule in Kayetpara Union. In continuation of this, he gave the minister the land he occupied. If the land is occupied by the minister, the aggrieved common man cannot protest against this occupation.
They also asked that how can a top minister of the government put up a signboard on a land despite a court ban?
According to souces, Rafiq sold the land to Shantinagar resident Mozammel Hossain by showing fake documents. After buying the land, Mozammel pressured Rafiq to accept possession. Following this, Rafiq conveyed 95 percent of Abul Hossain's land to Mozammel. When Mozammel came to occupy the land, Abul Hossain and his family members stopped him. Besides, he filed a case in Narayanganj Additional District Magistrate Court on December 12, 2023. Case number 1055/2023. Rafiq gifted the land to the minister of Chattogram division to take possession of the land after the case.
About 31.35 percent of that 95 percent or 19 katha land was gifted to the minister by Rafiq. On December 30 at 3 pm, three people came with the minister's protocol car to plant signboards and trees on that land. One of them introduced himself as the minister's car driver, the other as the minister's gunman (Surooj Mia). The other did not identify himself.
They came in a police jeep numbered Dhaka Metro-Tha 13-5802 (the video of which is preserved) to give signboards on the land.
At this time, they pulled up the signboard saying 'Owner of this property is Bismillah Marine Services Limited'. The three brought tree saplings in Dhaka Metro-Tha 13-5802 car to install the land signboard. Which is planted inside the boundary wall of the land at that time.
Noor Uddin is working as General Manager of Bismillah Marine Services Limited. When contacted, he said that Bismillah Marine Services Limited is a joint venture company. It is managed by a Minister from Chattogram and his wife.
The owner of the land Mamun Mia said, we have not sold the land. Rangdhanu Group chairman Rafiqul Islam has forcibly occupied our land. We fill 95 percent of the land with sand to build houses. He didn't let us home. The signboard was given by force. Three boundaries have been made in that land. Out of this, 19 katha lands were gifted to the minister.
“On December 30, the minister's people put up signboards on that land. We didn't sell the land, but how can Rafiq sell our land elsewhere? He also gave gifts to the minister without any documents. After Rafiq took possession of our land, we filed a case in court. That case is ongoing,” he added.
Another partner of the land, Johnny Ahmed, made the same complaint. He said, we fill soil collectively to build houses on 95 percent of our land. Later Rafiqul Islam, the Chairman of Rangdhanu Group forcibly took over our land. He later sold that land to Mozammel Hossain. Later, I filed a case in Narayanganj Additional District Magistrate Court on December 12, 2023 as a plaintiff.
In view of the case, Additional District Magistrate Moushumi Bain Hira issued a show cause notice to the second party under Section 145 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
“We have come to know that our land has been gifted to a government minister in defiance of court orders. The minister sent his own men and put up a signboard on the land taking possession of it on December 30. How can a government minister take possession of our land without any documents? We are shocked that the minister's people came and put up signboards on our property,” Johnny Ahmed added.
(The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on Januray 01, 2024 and has been rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
