Grabber eyes land of a school in Bhola

A grabber has erected fence to demarcate the occupied portion of the playground of Joynal Abedin Laboratory High School at Uttar Joynagar under Doulotkhan upazila of Bhola district. Photo: STAR

Teachers and students of Joynal Abedin Laboratory High School at Uttar Joynagar under Doulotkhan upazila of Bhola district yesterday submitted memorandum to Doulotkhan Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) to protect their school from 'land grabber'.
In the memorandum, the teachers and students alleged that hired goons of a man backed by the ruling Awami League on October 20 damaged a wall of a toilet of the school and took away a few tables and benches.
He also grabbed a piece of land of the institution and built two structures there recently, much to the problem of the students, they said.
One Md Muslim is residing on the school ground illegally, said Abdulla Al Noman, headmaster of the school.
About 500 students study in the school established on 75 decimal lands in 2001.
Local people run the high school that is yet to be included in MPO.
The teachers and students have demanded arrest and punishment of the land grabber who allegedly prepared forged documents in a bid to grab their school property.
A member of the school managing committee filed a general diary after the October 20 attack and also on different occasions earlier but police did not take any action, they alleged.
“After the attack incident, I went to the police station to seek legal action. But police did not record or investigate the matter,” said school managing committee president Khaleda Khanam, who is also sister of former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim.
Talking to this correspondent over cell phone yesterday, Md. Muslim claimed that he bought eight decimal lands in front of the school from one Abdul Latif in 1985 after finding all papers as valid.
However, when local journalists approached Muslim he failed to show any legal documents on the lands.
Muslim also admitted that there are some cases regarding the land.
When contacted, Shafizal Hossian, secretary of Uttar Joynagar AL, said, “I don't know who grabbed the land.”
Officer-in-Charge of Doulotkha Police Station, said, "Police has nothing to do until a case is filed. However, I will see the matter."
"I have received a memorandum from teachers and students of the school. Former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim established the school after his father's name on some land acquired from the local people. But he (Hafiz) did not pay the money to landowners and it gave rise to problems on different occasions," Doulotkhan UNO Saiful Islam told The Daily Star over cell phone yesterday.