Temple Land Seized After August 5; Jamaat Leader Beaten, Suffers Testicular Injury

❐ Staff correspondent

An allegation has been made that Jamaat-e-Islami leader named Md. Shafiqul Islam was beaten and injured after being accused of cultivating paddy after encroaching on temple land in Samudaykathi of Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur. His testicles were injured during the incident, according to family members.

The incident took place on Saturday afternoon, November 7, in Ward No. 1 of Samudaykathi Union of the upazila.

The injured Shafiqul Islam is serving as the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami in Ward No. 1 of Samudaykathi Union.

Shafiqul Islam, who is undergoing treatment at the hospital, said, “On Saturday afternoon, a group of 12-14 people including Manoj Biswas, Zakir Khan, Suman Khan, Suman Aich, led by Imran Khandaker, entered my house with country-made weapons and sticks. At that time, they attacked me, accusing me of destroying the temple and encroaching on the temple’s land.”

He also said, “When my brother Siddiqur Rahman came forward, he was also beaten with sticks. The attack was carried out under the direction of Tutul Aich of Samudaykathi Union.”

However, Tutul Aich denied the allegations and said, “Shafiqul has been occupying a land used for our Shitala temple and cultivating paddy there since August 5. He has a previous dispute with some people over this land. I was not aware of the attack. I was busy with some work at Durga Kathi in the union at noon.”

He also said, “I heard about a dispute between Imran Khandaker and Shafiqul over a betel nut orchard. I learned that there was a fight between them in that incident.”

In this regard, accused Imran Khandaker said, “I have taken a lease of a betel nut orchard of 27 percent of the land, including a pond, in Samuday Kathi Union for three years. On Saturday, when I went to collect betel nuts from the orchard, Shafiqul, his brother Siddiq and some others came and took the betel nuts. When we asked about this, they attacked us. Later, we also gave two or four blows in self-defense.”

Nesarabad Upazila Jamaat Secretary Maulana Abdur Rashid said that Shafiqul is the Ameer of Ward No. 1 of Samuday Kathi Union. On Saturday afternoon, Imran, Manoj, Zakir and some others entered Shafiqul’s house and attacked him, accusing him of encroaching on temple land.

Nesarabad Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Mehedi Hasan said, “I have heard about a fight between two parties over a land issue. One party came to the police station. They have been advised to first go to the hospital and seek treatment.”

Jamaat Amir Shafiqul occupies temple land and cultivates paddy

Land dispute

Locals said that while the case regarding the land was pending in the court, Shafiqul took possession of the land and started cultivating it after August 5, 2024. This has disrupted the long-standing religious rituals and ceremonies of the traditional religion. Members of the landowner’s family and locals have demanded that the temple land be recovered and worship services be resumed there.

According to local sources, there is 42 hundred acres of land in the name of Dakshinpara Sarbajanin Sheetala Mandir in Samudaykathi Union of Nesarabad Upazila. The land has dag number 952, khatian number 130. Various religious rituals including Sheetala Puja have been taking place on this land for decades. The victims said that the land is also recorded in the names of eight partners in the latest BS record.

They allege that Shafiqul Islam Howlader took possession of the land after August 5, 2024, based on an unregistered mortgage agreement with the participation of one of the eight partners. The partner concerned is currently residing in India. Since then, he has been cultivating paddy on the land. The victims said that a case is ongoing in the court regarding the ownership and possession of the land.

Manoj Biswas, son of landowner Nani Lal Biswas, said that according to the latest BS records, the land is recorded in the names of eight partners. Shafiqul Islam Howlader has filed a case against them by showing an unregistered mortgage agreement. While the case is ongoing, he is occupying the land and cultivating paddy.

He said that their ancestors have been worshipping Shitala on that land for decades. He demanded that the land be recovered and worshipped as before.

Local UP member Suman Aich said that he has been seeing Sheetala Puja being performed on that land since childhood.

However, after August 5, local Jamaat leader Shafiqul Islam Howlader was accused of grabbing the land. Suman Aich alleged that he was avoiding discussions despite being offered the actual documents.

According to him, such a situation is not desirable regarding land used for religious purposes by the Hindu community.

Samudaykathi Union Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Md. Abu Hanif said, Shafiqul Islam is serving as the Amir of Ward No. 1 Jamaat of Hawlader Union. However, the land-related issue is his personal matter. The party will not take responsibility if someone seizes land by abusing his power.

He also commented that Jamaat-e-Islami never condones injustice.

Prolay Mondal, member secretary of the Pirojpur district branch of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Welfare Front, said they went to the spot after receiving allegations of land grabbing, vandalism of religious establishments and intimidation of minorities in Samudya Kathi. He said that although initiatives were taken to resolve the problem, the accused Shafiqul Islam Howlader did not respond.