Land grabbers eye widow's land in Patuakhali town

Majeda Begum standing at the land of her late husband Prof Abdul Ali, former principal of Patuakhali Government Women's College, at Sabujbagh in Patuakhali town. A few local influential people are paving a brick way to grab the land, defying a court order.Photo: STAR

An influential group is grabbing the land in Sabujbagh area of the town, originally owned by a widow, even after a forbidding court order. The group is now threatening the lives of the widow Majeda Begum and her son Mahbub Hasan, a student of Jogonnath University in Dhaka.
Majeda Begum is the widow of late Prof. Abdul Ali, former principal of Patuakhali Govt. Women College. Majeda filed a General diary (GD) with Patuakhali police station on November 13 in the threats to life regard.
Majeda was awarded ownership of 2.46 decimal land of the plot no.8450 of lane 9 of Sabujbagh by the Patuakhali first civil court in March 1986.
The losers of the court case are till trying to grab the land as they Majeda is helpless to stop them.
Abdus Salam, Rokeya Begum, Saleha and Abul Kalam, all accused in Majeda's GD are still building a brick way on the land even after a court stay order was issued recently.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Ruhul Amin (ASI) of Patuakhali police station also issued a notice in accordance with the court order on the concerned land.
But the group continues to build the brick way at night in direct violation of the court order.
Majeda said, "I am living in fear as I live alone and my only son is studying in Dhaka and all four of my daughters are married."
Abdus Salam, one of grabbers said, "It is our father's property and we are trying to save it."
He denied commenting on life threats given to Majeda and her son.