BNP Leaders Arafat Rahman and Tarique Rahman Accused of Attempting to Grab Government Land

District Correspondent

Former joint convener of the upazila BNP, Arafat Rahman Hasan, and his younger brother, Tarique Rahman Rajan, have been accused of attempting to occupy government land by filling it with sand in Kabirhat Upazila of Noakhali.

On Sunday afternoon, when the filling work of about 200 places near the east gate of Kabirhat Government Degree College started by dumping sand, locals opposed it. However, Tarique Rahman Rajan denied the allegations of encroachment on government land. The upazila administration has taken the initiative to measure the land to determine ownership in this incident.

Locals have alleged that sand is being dumped and filled in a government-owned land marked with poles on the side of the College Gate road in Kabirhat Bazar, owned by the Noakhali district administration, without any permission. After the matter came to their attention, the locals stopped the filling work. At the same time, they demanded that the actual ownership of the land and the legality of the filling be verified and necessary action be taken.

Regarding the complaint, Tarique Rahman Rajan said that he has purchased two hundred acres of land behind that place. Sand has been temporarily placed in the front area to facilitate filling his own land. There has been no attempt to encroach on government land.

In this regard, former joint convener of Kabirhat Upazila BNP Arafat Rahman Hasan said, “The accusation against my brother of trying to grab government land is not correct. My younger brother’s Chandina Bhita land has been purchased there. However, he is not sure whether the land is in front or behind.”

Kabirhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Pudam Pushpa Chakma said, “Upon receiving the information, the tehsildar and surveyor have been sent to the spot along with a map. There are two types of land there, privately owned and government owned. On Monday morning, which land is government owned and which is privately owned, will be identified by measuring it. Notices have been given to all concerned in this regard.”

The UNO also said that no one had taken permission from the upazila administration to fill the government land with sand. The administration took action after receiving the complaint. The necessary action is underway in this incident.