Protest against move to allot houses only to Biharis

Army and police moved swiftly and stopped their procession at a short distance from the project area. The processionists staged a sit-in there for about three hours. Police have been deployed there.

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The march followed several rallies, held by the Bangla-speaking local people in the last one week.

Army built the four crore taka government housing project comprising tin-shed houses in barracks to house 1000 families. The project was completed one month back.

There has been a controversy about allotment of houses. A government gazette published on May 12, 1997 had said the houses would be allotted to Bangladeshis of seven categories. Those eligible to apply are i) distressed freedom fighters, ii) land erosion victims, iii) divorced women, iv) landless farmer families, v) victims of land acquisition by government and vi) homless people.

But the Saidpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in an announcement invited applications only from 'Urdu-speaking' people for the allotment.

This created resentment among Bangla-speaking local people.

About 4,000 applicants have been received so far. Some Bangla-speaking people alleged that their applications were not accepted. The officials concerned told them that only Urdu-speaking people were eligible for the houses.

It is also alleged that a large number of standard Pakistanis living in 20 Zeneva Camps in Saidpur and waiting repatriation also applied for allotments.

Saidpur UNO Shamsul Alam, who heads the allotment committee, later told newsmen that applications are being rceived from non-Bangalees as per a directive from the Prime Minister's office.

The opposition political leader of Saidpur, Mrs Rabe Alim, said the government cannot give permanent allotment to standard Pakistanies. "It is illegal".