Grabbing Arable Land: HC orders judicial probe

The High Court yesterday ordered for a judicial inquiry into allegations of grabbing 60 acres of agricultural land at Muhuripara in Cox's Bazar and converting its nature by earth filling.

In response to a writ petition, the court directed the chief judicial magistrate of Cox's Bazar to conduct an inquiry into the allegations and submit the probe report to it within two months.

The HC also issued status quo on the possession of the land till further order.

At the same time, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why their inaction and failure to prevent or restrain the land grabbers from grabbing 60 acres of agricultural land at Muhuripara, adjacent to Bakkhali river, and thereby allowing them to change the nature of the land should not be declared illegal.

Secretaries at the ministries of land and home affairs, deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner concerned, superintendent of Cox's Bazar police, executive magistrate, upazila nirbahi officer and assistant commissioner (land) of Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila, officer-in-charge of Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station, department of environment of Cox's Bazar district office and its assistant director concerned have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by leading rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) seeking necessary orders on this issue.

Lawyers Syeda Nasrin and Md Shahinuzzaman appeared for the writ petitioner during the virtual hearing on the petition.

The ASK submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC in March this year seeking its directives on the authorities to recover 60 acres of agricultural land at Muhuripara from the land grabbers and hand over the land to the owners in its original nature and character.

In the petition, the ASK said the respondents have failed to dispose of their duties as the public authorities to protect the rights and interest of the poor farmers by allowing the land grabbers to grab the land, thereby allowing them to convert the nature of the land.

Therefore, the HC may kindly direct the respondents to recover the land and hand it over to the original owners, the petitioner said.

The rights body said the illegal act of land grabbing and converting the agricultural land into a housing project has been carried out before the eyes of the respondents by using force, but the respondents are remaining silent, in other way supporting the land grabbers, which is not only disgraceful but also painful to endure.