‘No training complex on Padma char land’
While locals in Rajshahi passed the seventh day of protest against prison authorities’ bid to grab at least 100 acres of char land on the river Padma, the state minister for foreign affairs yesterday assured citizens of a government decision to uphold people’s demand.
“No organisation under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government will take any decision that goes against people’s demand,” M Shahriar Alam wrote in a Facebook post.
“The prisons training academy will be established in Rajshahi, but it will be in a new place,” Alam, a lawmaker from Rajshahi-6 (Charghat-Bagha) constituency, wrote. He said he spoke to the secretary of the concerned ministry in this regard.
The Daily Star on May 15 reported that the prison authorities in May last year proposed to the land ministry for acquiring 100 acres of char land for building a complex for training academy.
Learning about the initiative, locals criticised the decision on social media, and a socio-cultural organisation named “Rajshahi-bashi” (citizens of Rajshahi) started demonstrating against the move.
On May 19, they demonstrated in front of Rajshahi Central Jail.
The next day, they submitted a memorandum to the prime minister and made a six-point demand including protecting the areas along the river in the town as heritage sites. Since May 21, locals have been holding rallies at different intersections.
The state minister’s social media post came following the movement. He wrote that the people’s representatives would play a role in finding out a suitable place for setting up the training academy.
Rajshahi-bashi thanked the state minister through a Facebook post in the afternoon. The organisation hoped that the government will make an official announcement in this regard soon. Talking to The Daily Star, Mahbub Tunku, convenor of the group, said they would continue their movement until such announcement is made.
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