Road work held over claim on land
Road pavement work remained suspended in a village under Saghata upazila after a locally influential man extended portion of a structure into several feet of the road.
The contractor for the work, part of an 1,870-meter-long road pavement project under Local Government Engineering Department, stopped the work after two structures were built recently, encroaching upon the road in Amadirpara village of Jumarbari union in the upazila.
Being informed, officials from Saghata upazila -- Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohiuddin Jahangir, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shakil Ahmed and Engineer Sabiul Islam -- paid a visit to the spots last week and removed one of the illegal structures built by Mosharraf Hossain, a landless farmer.
However, they returned without removing the structure built by Rezaul Karim as he is influential in the area, alleged locals.
Rebutting Rezaul’s claim on part of the road, the locals said they had been using the road for a long time, but Rezaul erected the structure on the road only recently.
Akram Hossain, a resident of Amadirpara village, said Rezaul should withdraw his claim on the road and remove the structure in the greater interest of villagers.
After his illegal structure was removed, Mosharraf claimed that even though the structure made by him was sitting beside the road, it was removed only because he is a poor man.
But he wondered why the structure made by Rezaul, though protruding into the road, was not removed.
Rashedul Islam, headteacher of Badinerpara High School, alleged that the chairman of Jumarbari Union Parishad (UP) did not take any action against Rezaul Karim as the latter is his relative.
Locals said they made repeated appeals with the upazila administration to remove the protruding structure made by Rezaul as it might cause serious accidents.
Upazila Engineer Sabiul Islam said the Jumarbari UP chairman was asked to settle the matter.
Contacted, UP Chairman Rostum Ali Akanda said the road was built on Rezaul’s land long time ago.
Nonetheless, the matter will soon be settled amicably, he also said.
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