Under the direct intervention of Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) AHM Khariuzzaman Liton, some 18 bighas of land worth Taka 200 crore (two billion) have been recovered from Seroil Bastohara Para under ward-21 from the clutches of illegal land grabbers.
It is learnt, four land grabbers Moinuddin Sarker Monir, Rashid Akhter, Runa Laila and Rashida Khatun of Kadirganj area occupied 18 bighas of government land of Seroil Bastohara Para under Rajshahi City Corporation in 1993 and filed a case claiming ownership of the land. In June-6, 2016, the court delivered a verdict of the case in favour of the plaintiffs.
But, not accepting the verdict, Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi filed an appeal against the verdict on October-30,2016. On June-20, 2018, Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi appointed Assistant GP Advocate Ejajul Haque Manu to operate the case in favour of the state.
Recently, the court has granted the appeal in favour of the state and said the land does not belong to the defendants (Plaintiffs in the earlier case). As a result of the verdict, 18 bighas of the government properties worth Taka 200 crore have been recovered from the clutches of the illegal occupiers.
A total of 70 rootless families who have been living on the land for a long time were happy with the verdict of the case. They thanked the government and especially, RCC Mayor AHM Khariuzzaman Liton who intervened directly to file the case and to continue it.
After the court verdict, RCC Mayor AHM Khaurzzaman Liton rushed to the Bastahara Para and met with the residents of the area on Wednesday last. He said he was repeatedly requested by the land grabbers not to proceed with the case further and they also lured him to negotiate with them against a huge sum of kickback but he refused to agree to their proposals. He said, his father AHM Kamruzzaman had worked for the welfare of the common people and he also vowed to work for them.
Residents of Bastohara Para including President of Ward-21 AL Toazammel Haque Bablu, General Secretary Ismael Hossain, Sohel Rana, Sohrab Hossain, Tara and Masud Rana thanked and expressed their gratitude to RCC Mayor for his positive role to save them from being evicted from their houses.
Advocate Ezaul Haque Manu informed residents of Bastohara Para are living there by taking a lease of the land for the last 200-year. But, in 2013, four land grabbers filed a case claiming ownership of the land.