Ex-IGP of police and ex-DG of Rab Benazir Ahmed possesses 418 percentiles of land in Saint Martin Island, which is known as ecologically critical area. Allegation of encroaching 250 percentiles of land and coconut orchard of a man named Mohammad Waziullah was also raised against him. .
According to the investigation, the amount of land Benazir bought is greater than that of purchased by all the people of Dakshinpara village in Saint Martin. Even, he built boundary wall after purchasing land Uttarpara area of the island.
From the field visit, it has been found that the local people know this piece of land as ‘Benazir’s Land.” The coral stones have been piled up there to protect the boundary of the land. Besides, boundary of concrete pillars has been built around the land. Furthermore, a big gate was constructed, which according to the Ecologically Critical Area Law of 1995 is against the nature conservation law and environment law.
Apart from this, Benazir Ahmed is being allegedly involved in occupying 250 percentiles of land of Mohammad Wajiullah of Uttarpara village in Ward No. 1 of St. Martin. Waziullah bought the land from Muktar Ahmad and Mahi Alam, former UP members of St Martin's Ward 1. The matter was confirmed by local UP member Akhter Kamal.
According to the records of the local land registry office, Benazir owns 8.25 percentiles of land in 1786 khatian, in addition to 14.14 percentiles, 45 percentiles, 35 percentiles and 40 percentiles of the same land in the 1030 Khatian of Jinjira Island Mouza of St. Martin. Apart from this, 1725 spots have 22 percentiles land. Benazir Ahmed, son of Harunur Rashid, is named as the owner in the land registry. The address that is used is holding number 166 of Sadar Upazila of Gopalganj. It is mentioned that the Khatian was created as per the order dated 12/2/2015 in the case number 355 (I)/2014-15 of the Khatian of his land.
The seller of the land was local Maulvi Abdur Rahman and his family members. Assistant Land Commissioner of Teknaf Upazila in Cox's Bazar Zahid Iqbal and Upazila Land Office Kanungo Moshammed Musa verified the certificate. It can be seen in the certificate that the total land owned by Benazir Ahmed is 1 acre 68.25 percentiles.
Abdul Jabbar, former assistant collector of Teknaf land office, confirmed the matter to the reporter and said, "Mr Benazir Ahmed has land in Southnpara area of St. Martin. He bought these lands in 2016 and 2017. Even after this, he also bought several lands in the name of him and his family members.
Maulvi Abdur Rahman, who was elected as UP Chairman in 2011 with BNP's symbol, is known as Benazir's ‘Own Man’ in the area. He was in the duty of maintenance of Benazir's land in that area.
The investigation revealed that Maulvi Abdur Rahman himself sold three acres of land to Benazir Ahmed in 2011. Benazir bought these lands for only Tk 20 to 25 lakhs per acre, the current market value of which is around Tk 2 crores. After buying the land, a signboard was hung after the name of Benazir Ahmed. Later, on December 11, 2021, after the United States imposed sanctions against Benazir Ahmed, he ordered the removal of the signboard with his name.
St. Martin Union Parishad chairman and Union Awami League president Md. Mujibur Rahman confirmed the matter of the purchase of land. He told ‘The Kaler Kantho,’ "There is land owned by ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed in Dakshinpara village of St. Martin. Earlier the whole land was fenced, there were signboards in his name, but now there is no such thing. However, I do not know the amount of land.”
Akhter Kamal, a UP member of Ward No. 1 of St. Martin Union Parishad, told this reporter that Benazir Ahmed has 120 percentiles land in a spot with a coconut plantation in the northern part of the island. A person named Maulvi Abdur Rahman is in charge of it. Apart from this, Benazir Ahmed has one and a half acres of land at 1786 Dag in Dakshinpara of Ward No. 9 of the Union.
87 percentiles land in the name of wife and daughters in Inani
Benazir Ahmed purchased 86.94 percentiles lands in Inani Mauza of Ukhia Upazila of Cox's Bazar while he was the DG of RAB. But this cunning former government official did not register the land in his own name. The land was registered in the name of brother-in-law Mirza Manowar Reza, wife Zeeshan Mirza and three daughters Farheen Rishta Benazir, Tahsin Raisa binte Benazir and Zahra Zereen binte Benazir. Among these, the younger daughter Zahra Zerin binte Benzir was a minor at the time of the land registry.
According to the information, the name of Mirza Mansoor-al-Haq, father of Mirza Manowar Reza and Zeeshan Mirza, who is Benazir Ahmed's father-in-law, is mentioned in the land deed. Addresses of these are given as Sheikhpara, South Jatrabari and Faridabad in Dhaka South City Corporation. Apart from this, Farheen Rishta binte Benazir, Tahsin Raisa binte Benazir and Zahra Zerin binte Benazir's father's name is mentioned as Benazir Ahmed. Benazir Ahmed's father Harunur Rashid's information is also mentioned in that document. The document shows the address of Benazir Ahmed and her three daughters as Baishakhi Road, Sabuj Bagh, Gopalganj Sadar, Gopalganj Municipality in Gopalganj district.
By verifying the tax payment receipt information of Sonarpara Union Land Office, it was found that Zeeshan Mirza's holding number is 5691, land class is nil (residential), dag number is 10391 and the amount of land is 7.33 percentiles. This tax is paid on May 28, 2023. Another land development tax on 18 percentiles of land was paid on the same day in the name of Zeeshan Mirza. According to register no. 2, the holding number of the land is 5271 and dag no. 10389.
According to The Kaler Kantho's investigation, on May 28 in 2023, the land tax of Farheen Rista bint Benazir was also deposited at the Sonarpara Union Land Office. According to Register No. 2, the holding number of the land is 7766, Dag No. 10391 and 10389. Here the amount of land is 3.5, 6.5 and 5 percentiles i.e. 15 percentiles. On the same day, land development tax of Mirza Manowar Reza and others was also paid. However, on May 29 in 2023, this land of Inani-2 Mauza of Ukhia Upazila was sold to Mohammad Nur Alam Siddiqui, a resident of Naljani of Chandna in Gazipur Sadar.
70 percentiles land in Teknaf Marine Drive in name of wife
Benazir's wife Zeeshan Mirza owns 70 percentile of land in Inani Mauza, adjacent to LGED building, next to Marine Drive under Ukhia Police Station in Cox's Bazar. The land is looked after by Nazim Uddin Member, an UP Member of Ward No. 6 of Jaliapalong Union. The land was purchased in 2006.
Shamsul Alam, a UP member of Ward No. 6 of Jalia Palong Union of Ukhia Police Station, Cox's Bazar, confirmed the matter to The Kaler Kantho, He said, "Mr Benazir Ahmed has 70 percentiles of the land in Inani Mauza near LGED building next to Marine Drive. This land was bought by former member of my ward Nazim Uddin and Maulvi Abul Bashak of Sonarpara in the same area. At present, they are the two responsible for looking after this land.”
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