Satkhira landless people face another case

Another case has been filed accusing 82 'landless' people including Debhata Upazila Landless People's Association President Abdul Gaffar and over 2,000 unidentified people for allegedly demanding toll to the lessee and stealing fishes after illegally occupying 1500 bighas of khas land at Norarchak in Debhata upazila.
Satata Matsyajibi Samabaya Samittee leader MA Shahid Dulu of Katia in Satkhira town filed the case with Debhata Police Station on Wednesday night.
Earlier on Tuesday night, Parulia union assistant land officer Golam Farooque in Debhata upazila filed a case with Debhata Police Station accusing nine leaders of the association including its President Abdul Gaffar and over 700 to 800 unnamed landless people for illegally occupying 1500 bighas of government khas land.
Complainant MA Shahid Dulu said he on behalf of Satata Matsajibi Samabaya Samittee took lease of 1500 bighas of the special water body (khas land) at Norarchak from the local administration for Tk 28 lakh yearly revenue following government rules last year and started cultivating shrimps there.
Abdul Gaffar, identifying himself as Debhata Upazila Landless People's Association President, along with others came to him on January 17 and demanded Tk 5 lakh as toll and threatened to occupy the land in case of non-compliance, Shahid alleged.
Abdul Gaffar said the local administration did not lease the khas land for the landless people although a High Court order 26 years ago asked the authorities to allocate the land for the landless people through maintaining proper procedure.