PM’s housing project ushers in human habitation in deserted village
Deserted village of Mongolpur under Elangi union in Kotchandpur upazila in Jhenidah is again seen human habitation thanks to the prime minister's housing project for the homeless marking Mujib Borsho.
The upazila administration has acquired 16 decimals of land in the desolated village and built eight houses at Tk 1.90 lakh each and handed over it to eight landless families recently starting human habitation after 75 years, Kotchandpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ashaduzzaman Ripon said.
Local union land office bears valid papers of the village and its JL No- is 66 in the map of the union.
It is mysterious why people do not live in the village, he said.
If the archeological department takes steps to delve deep into the mystery, an unknown chapter of the history might be unraveled, he also said.
Sources and locals speak of a village named Mongolpur bearing the jurisdiction list number 66. There are marks even today of people that used to live here. There are three ponds and an Eidgah.
According to the account of the villagers, once there lived a Mughal family in the village long ago. They left the village after the end of Mughal dynasty. Fearing torture, they left the village for India. After their departure, around 120 to 130 families of lower caste inhabited the village. Cholera broke out around 75 years ago and a great number of the people died. Rest of the villagers started leaving the village thinking that a curse has descended upon them.
Nawab Ali Kha, 72 a villager of Balabaria of village said, he has heard that this village was named after Mughal dynasty. After the end of the dynasty, people of lower castes made the village their home. Around 75 years ago hundreds of people of died of cholera and the rest of them fled in fear of being cursed.
Now they are very happy that habitation has started in the deserted village again.
Md Abdul Kuddus Khan, the imam of Mongolpur village mosque said, he unearthed a lot of skeletons in 1992 which are about 8.50 feet in length. He has heard from his forefathers that all the families left the village long ago.
Elangi union land assistant officer Iqbal Hossain under Kotchandpur upazila said, this Mongolpur village (JL-66) covers an area of 260.50 acres land. Of which 16 decimals were khash (free land). Most of the lands have been exchanged at that time. Besides, those who left the village fearing fatal diseases sold their lands to nearby villagers after several years, he told quoting the locals.
Echoing the same, 5-No Elangi UP chairman Mizanur Rahman Khan said, fearing ill omen no body lived here. But thanks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina habitation in the village has started. The locals are happy for re-habitation in the deserted village.