2 Dalit families fall victim to land grabbing
Some locals have allegedly grabbed 46 decimals of land of two Dalit families in Chokergram village of Kulaura upazila.
They are the families of Basanti Robidas, 35, and Lakhpoti Robidas, 45, of the village.
On October 22, Basanti filed a case with Moulvibazar Judicial Magistrate's Court, accusing four people in connection with the incident.
According to the case, at least 15 people, led by Md ANM Alam, Shah Alam Sarkar, Musa Khaja and Khaled Lucky, equipped with sharp weapons and bamboos, swooped on the two families on October 19 and beat the female inmates and molested them.
They also felled their trees and occupied 46 decimals of land. The grabbers then hung a signboard there in the name of MA Gani Adarsha College. It was named after razakar Yusuf Ghani.
Basanti said they were living on 67 decimals of land for years. Of them, 46 decimals were grabbed. They did not sell any land.
“People of the communities are treated as 'untouchable' by the society. It's our fault that we are Harijan,” said Basanti in tears.
The inhabitants of Chokergram said they have been residing peacefully in the area for over 100 years, but for the last few years, they are facing threat of eviction.
Faruq Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Susasoner Jonno Nagorik, Sylhet chapter, said although the country's constitution promises equal rights for all citizens, people of the Harijan community have been living under threat of eviction.
Refuting the allegation of land grabbing, ANM Alam, prime accused in the case, said before the marriage of plaintiff Basanti, her father-in-law Shishchand Robidas sold five decimals of land to him and two decimals of land to the college authorities.
Md Shamim Musa, officer-in -charge of Kulaura Police Station, said they will take action after investigation.
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