Case filed against Zafrullah, others
Days after a general diary (GD) was filed against Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury over remarks “tantamount to sedition” made in a TV programme, a case has been filed against him and some others allegedly for attempting to grab a piece of land and demanding extortion.
Mohammad Ali, a resident of Harirampur upazila of Manikganj, filed the case accusing Zafrullah and three other named and three to four unnamed persons with Ashulia Police Station on Monday night.
However, Dr Zafrullah told The Daily Star that Gonoshasthaya has owned the land for over 35 years and has legal documents.
In the case statement, the complainant said he and his partners bought the 4.24-acre land in Mirzanagar area of Pathalia Union. They have fenced the land and planted trees.
But the accused have been trying to grab it for a long time, it said. They had broken the fence, felled trees and dug up soil several times. Eight GDs were filed with Ashulia and Savar police stations over the incidents.
The case statement said the accused were pressuring the complainant to sell the land at a low price. On October 14, three accused -- Delwar Hossain, Saiful Islam Shishir and Awlad Hossen -- with three to four unnamed persons entered the property when the complainant and his partners were present. They asked him to hand over the land to Gonoshasthaya as per the direction of Dr Zafrullah or pay Tk 1 crore.
As he refused, they threatened him and his partners and damaged materials worth Tk 8.5 lakh, said the case statement.
Contacted, Rezaul Haque, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station, said they are investigating the matter.
When asked, Dr Zafrullah said, “The land is owned by Gonoshasthaya Kendra and we have a plan to construct a hostel there. His [complainant] claim is false.”
Meanwhile, regarding the GD filed with Cantonment Police Station, Deputy Commissioner (media and public relations) Masudur Rahman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said they have begun investigation in this regard, as per permission from court.
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