MP Bazar on govt land!

Encroachers, backed by former lawmaker of Pabna-2 constituency, grabbed a portion of Jamuna river land along with riverbank properties owned by various government departments in Pabna’s Bera upazila to set up a market. 

The market, locally known as MP Bazar, on approximately five acres of land was established after being initiated by former lawmaker Khandaker Azizul Haque Arzu by filling land with sand along the Jamuna river in the now-obsolete Nagarbari ferry terminal area in Puran Varanga union, informed the encroachers, who bought plots there.

Visiting the area, this correspondent found construction of the brick-walled, tin-roofed shop houses in progress on sand-filled land along the river shore, where a six to eight feet high dyke wall has been built. 

The shop-owners said, 163 shops have been erected in the newly built market but they do not have any document to support their possession for which they paid the lawmaker’s men between Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1.25 lakh for each 20 feet by 32 feet plot.

Mohammad Mostafa, owner of Anis Enterprise, told The Daily Star that he obtained possession of a plot in MP Bazar by paying Tk 1.25 lakh in three installments to then lawmaker’s men and constructed a semi-pucca building this year by spending Tk 5 lakh.

When asked if he received any money receipt or document showing his possession, he replied in the negative saying, “We invested in the property placing our trust on the ex-lawmaker.”

Another plot-owner Moslem Uddin, a general supplies trader, said the lawmaker prepared vast area of land beside the river by filling it up with sand and erecting a brick wall along the water to establish the market.

“Since he spent a huge sum of money in preparing the market area, we paid him the cost,” claimed Moslem, who paid Tk 1 lakh for his plot, and said, he does not care about land documents.  

The 50-year-old businessman insisted that the market was built on the same land, where another market named Nolkhola Bazar in the Nagarbari Ghat area used to exist.

Since the former lawmaker helped re-establish the market, shop-owners are now calling it MP Bazar, he added.

Chairman of Puran Varanga Union Parishad Mohammad Rafikullah too claimed that the new market was built on the same location of Nolkhola Bazar, which had brisk business when the Nagarbari Ferry Terminal was in operation.

The terminal, once an important gateway to the northern districts, became obsolete after the opening of the Jamuna Bridge in 1998.

“In 1985-86 erosion by the Jamuna river caused the Nagarbari Ghat to shift and Nalkhola Bazar was washed away. After that, a shoal appeared in the river. Today 1.57 acres land of Nolkhola Bazar still exists and the newly built market is located on that land and the ferry terminal area. This land is not part of the river,” claimed the chairman.

Contacted, former MP Khandaker Azizul Haque Arzu also claimed that the market was not built by grabbing river land.

It stands in the same place as ‘Mothurapur Haat’, a village market that was eroded away by the Jamuna a century ago, he said.

“When the river changed its course, the land reappeared and the present market was built in that place,” he claimed, asserting that the river was two kilometres from the market area.

The former lawmaker dodged the question when asked if he took permission from any government body before establishing the market in the Nagarbari Ghat area as he does not own that land.

He also denied taking money from the plot-owners and said a committee was formed to handle the matter.

“To obtain possession for one plot each, shopkeeper paid Tk 97,000 of which Tk 96, 200 was used for preparing the land by filling it up with sand and building a guide bank (the dyke wall) for the market while Tk 800 was used for electricity connection to the shops,” he said.

Bera Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Asif Anam Siddique said the market was constructed illegally on government property without taking legal permission from the government.

“The market is obviously located on government property. Most of the property is river land, while the ferry terminal area including the haat periphery originally belonged to Roads and High Ways Department (RHD),” said the UNO.

He said public announcement about eviction of illegal occupiers were made through loudspeakers and steps will be taken after discussing the matter with all concerned authorities.

While the announcement caused the shop-owners of MP Bazar worry about losing their investment, Pabna Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kabir Mahamud assured that they will not go for any quick actions since several government departments are involved in this.

“After discussing with RHD, Water Development Board (WDB) and other concern authorities we will go for eviction drive,” said the DC, adding that the government is strict about recovering river land and other government properties. 

Pabna RHD Executive Engineer Samiron Roy said a highway of the department existed in the area when the Nagarbari Ghat was operative.

He said, a large portion of the market is located on RHD property and they already informed higher authorities, seeking eviction by the magistrate.