Protector turns predator

An influential person backed by ruling party men has illegally occupied the Social Welfare Department's land at Paitpara village in the district.

Locals said late Obaidul Mokaddes Chowdhury, a philanthropist of the village, donated 33 decimals of land in Paitpara village under Jaldhaka upazila to the Social Welfare Department of the government on a registry deed on October 6, 1995.

The department set up a two-room tin-shed building on the land for running an office of a welfare programme for women called 'Matri Kalyan Sangstha.'

The government programme was ended in 2005 and the officials were shifted to different places, keeping Obaidul to look after the land and building. Since then, he looked after the area till he fell ill in 2012.

Obaidul requested neighbour Mominur Rahman to take care of the land and assets.

Mominur first set up a grocery on the land, saying that it was the best way to stay on the land all the time and look after it properly.

After Obaidul's death a year ago, Mominur set up a 100-foot long poultry farm there and cultivated vegetables and other crops. He also encircled the area with corrugated iron sheets.

Dharmopal Union Parishad (UP) Member Tushar Khondokar said local youths formed a welfare group and protested the occupation. They tried to transplant saplings of plants for a forestation project there.

“The occupant didn't allow the youths to plant saplings, saying that he had good relations with the high-ups of the ruling party, and threatened to implicate them in false cases,” the UP member said.

Jannat Hilala Begum, widow of Obaidul, said she submitted an application to the upazila social welfare officer on behalf of the local people on December 9, urging him to recover the land, but no step has been taken yet.

Mominur rejected the allegation of occupation of the land and said the upazila Social Welfare Department permitted him to look after the land and tin-shed building, adding that some people were conspiring against him. However, he could not show any paper in support of his claim.

Deputy Director of district Social Welfare Department Abdus Sobhan said they would not allow anybody to occupy their land illegally.

“I shall visit the spot and take action as per law to end the occupation, if any,” he added.