Lawmaker rallies behind 2 sons
Awami League lawmaker ABM Abul Kashem Master yesterday evening claimed that the allegation of land grabbing against his two sons is baseless and meant for tarnishing his political image and business reputation.
“No incident of land grabbing took place here. My sons purchased lands to set up two ship-breaking yards and the persons who sold the lands went there along with the surveyors and workers to demarcate those,” said the lawmaker at the press briefing at the Chittagong Press Club.
Meanwhile, one case and four general dairies (GD) were filed against the two sons of the lawmaker in connection with Wednesday's incident of alleged land grabbing and attack on journalists at Sitakunda in Chittagong.
“None even raised any objection to it or claimed those lands. A vested quarter spread the rumour of land grabbing,” claimed the lawmaker.
“We don't have any dispute with Doula (proprietor of Pakija Ship-breaking Yard) since he has no land there,” he said.
“The owner of Azadi Ship-breaking Yard and Prime Steel also expressed surprise over the allegation of reported land grabbing,” he said.
He further claimed none of his two sons were present at the spot and no incident of violence took place there.
Asked about the attack on newsmen he said some outsiders might have done that.
“As the MP of the area I regret the attack on the journalists and hope the attackers would be brought to justice,” he said.
Rashed Mahmud, a senior photo journalist of the Prothom Alo, filed the case with Sitakunda Police Station on Wednesday night against 20 persons including SM Al-Mamun and SM Al-Noman, sons of Abul Kashem, lawmaker of Chittagong-3 constituency, on charge of attack on journalists.
Sirajud Doula, proprietor of Pakija Enterprise, yesterday lodged four general diaries with the chief metropolitan magistrate's court, local police station and office of assistant superintendent of police (Sitakunda Circle) seeking justice to get back his 'grabbed land'.
None has been arrested so far in this connection.
When asked Officer-in-charge (OC) Nazrul Islam of Sitakunda Police Station said they were continuing drive to nab the accused.
“None of those involved in assaulting journalists would be spared,” the OC asserted.
“However, the matter of reported land grabbing would have to be solved after examining documents of all the sides,” he said.
UNB reports: State Minister for Home Affairs advocate Shamsul Haq Tuku on Thursday said legal actions would be taken against land grabbers, no matter who they are.
While talking to reporters after a meeting with Home Minister Sahara Khatun at her ministry office Tuku said a legal process is underway to take action against the land grabbers in Sitakunda.
“No land grabbers will be spared,” he warned.
On Wednesday some 200 men of the MP's son appeared on the 10 acres of land of ship-breaking yards owned by Pakija Enterprise, Asad Ship Cutting, Moslema Steel and Prime Steel in Kumira around 7:00am on Wednesday and allegedly grabbed the lands attaching them to the lawmaker's under-construction ship-breaking yard along the coast at Jora Amtal of Kumira under the upazila.
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