Martyred Intellectuals Memorial: Desecrated by illegal structures

Ibrahim Khalil owns three plant nurseries along the boundary wall of the Rayerbazar Martyred Intellectual Memorial( Boddho Bhumi).

For that, he has to pay off local influential people, who allegedly grabbed the land from the Water Development Board (WDB).

"Every month, I have to pay Tk 12,000 to the leader of our association for my nurseries. He collects the money from all nursery owners and pays off political leaders," Khalid said.

Like Khalid's nurseries, around 100 businesses and other establishments have been built illegally along the Boddho Bhumi boundary wall, which stretches for around two kilometres.

Besides nurseries, the land also has illegal parking spots for trucks, pick-up vans, and CNG-run auto-rickshaws; a wholesale vegetable market; offices of several associate bodies of the ruling Awami League; and even an office of the assistant commissioner of police (traffic).

Local AL leaders, ward councillors and their supporters allegedly grabbed the land and allowed the illegal structures to mushroom in exchange for money.

As a result, the two intercity roads that run through the memorial and connect Mohammadpur, Basila, and Sadarghat are frequently congested, locals said.

In 2020, the Martyred Intellectual Memorial was designated as an important structure for conservation by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).

But conservationists said illegal establishments have become a nuisance for people visiting the historical site.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Sufi Mostafizur Rahman, professor of archaeology at Jahangirnagar University, said, "The view of the site is being obstructed by illegal establishments. The way the Boddho Bhumi is surrounded makes it look like a kitchen market. Besides, it has made the area unsafe.

"It is a place made for paying homage to the martyred freedom fighters and should be maintained all year round. The relevant authorities should take appropriate action to evict all illegal establishments."

During a recent visit, The Daily Star found that the nurseries, vehicle stands, and political party offices were housed in around a one-kilometre radius of the memorial's main entrance.

Requesting anonymity, ruling party activists said the political offices were built with the support of Dhaka-13 MP Sadek Khan and his son Fahim Sadek Khan, a former vice-president of AL's Mohammadpur thana unit.

Their supporters were the ones who extort money from the businesses, they also said.

According to nursery owners, they each had to pay around Tk 5,000-0,000 per month.

If this is true, the land grabbers are likely to earn around Tk 5-6 lakh every month from the nurseries alone.

"When I set up my nursery here in 2018, I used to pay Tk 4,000. For the last two years, I've been paying Tk 5,000," said Shah Alam, owner of Shariatpur Garden Centre.

Three other nursery owners said the same.

Meanwhile, local truck drivers said union leaders regularly collect money from them in order to keep the illegal parking lots operational, which accommodated over 400 trucks.

Noshu Miah, president of the inter-district truck drivers' union (Mohammadpur unit), said they have been parking on the land for the last three years because the mayor allowed them to do so after evicting them from Lautala, which was also used for illegal parking.

"We admit that people are suffering due to the illegal parking. Considering that, the mayor this year asked us to park the trucks where the nurseries are located. But the local lawmaker Sadek Khan did not allow us to do so as his supporters collected money from the nursery owners," he added.

Contacted, Sadek Khan said he did not know if his followers collected money from the nursery owners. "The land belongs to WDB and I have requested the mayor to evict the illegal structures."

Fahim Sadek Khan also refuted the allegations and said "I come from a well-to-do family. I don't need to grab land. The local AL leaders might've used their influence to build the illegal structures."

He did, however, hear about party members collecting money in his name.

Speaking on the matter, DNCC Chief Estate Officer Dr Mohammad Mahay Alam, said, "No one sought permission from us, nor did we verbally permit anyone to construct any illegal structures over there. We'll start evicting those illegal occupants soon."

ML Shaikat, WDB (Dhaka Division-2) executive engineer, said, "We have listed 1,500 illegal structures including those built along the Boddho Bhumi. We are currently unable to conduct eviction drives due to budget constraints."

Md Imrul, assistant commissioner (traffic) of police, Mohammadpur zone, declined to make a comment on why their office was built on WDB land without permission.

Alamin Rahman, general secretary of DNCC's ward 34 BCL unit, said the leaders of previous committees may have built the office there. "We don't use it. It is currently in an abandoned state."