AL men fell 50-yr-old trees to build party office
Awami League (AL) leaders felled two 50-year-old trees a few days ago to build their party office on government land without any permission from the authorities concerned in Baliakandi upazila of Rajbari.
Locals said the AL leaders began construction of the party office first one year ago on a private land, but it was stopped when the land owner filed a case with a court.
Later, local lawmaker Md Zillul Hakim inaugurated a building for party office on eight decimals of land of the Zila Parishad and Water Development Broad (WDB) near the sub-registrar's office, they said, adding that Baliakandi AL leaders felled the trees to start the work.
Baliakandi Upazila Parishad Chairman Abul Kalam Azad, upazila AL president and also Zila Parishad member Md Abdul Hannan Mollah and Zila Parishad member Abdus Sattar Khan were present at the inaugural programme of the construction work on December 23 last year.
Baliakandi Union Parishad Chairman Nayib Ali Sheikh got the contract for the construction work.
“A two-storied building will be built for the upazila AL office, but I do not know about the lease of the land. Zila Parishad and Upazila Parishad chairmen know everything. I am only the contractor of this work,” Nayib said.
“I have no idea about this as I have not gone to Baliakandi for several days,” said Hannan Mollah.
“A building for upazila AL office will be built soon on eight decimals of land of Zila Parishad and WDB. Upazila AL General Secretary Shamsul Islam said they have sent a letter to the Zila Parishad and WDB for lease of the land. He, however, said he does not know who cut down the trees.
Rajbari WDB Executive Engineer Prokash Krishna Sarkar said they usually lease farmland from their office, but not for building. Prokash said no one applied for lease of the land from that area.
Rajbari Zila Parishad Chief Engineer Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said they did not give any lease to anybody in Baliakandi upazila. He said they have heard about the felling of trees and steps would be taken in this regard as soon as possible.