Farmers protest lease of railway lands to absentee landlord

Locals claimed that the villagers have been cultivating the lands for about 90 years. The Railway Department recently leased the lands to one Jamilur Rahman who lives in Dhaka.

They said bloody clashes may erupt any time as the lessee is trying to evict the farmers with the help of police and hired hoods. He has brought in goons from Dhaka, they claimed.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Jamilur Rahman come to the area with police on March 31 to take possession of the lands but they were forced to retreat as the villagers faced them with lethal weapons. Since then, hundreds of farmers are guarding the lands by turns.

During a visit to the area yesterday, locals said they will sacrifice file, not the lands because these are means for their livelihood.

Freedom fighter Sirajul Islam Master said that the then railway authorities acquired the lands from villagers in 1920. In 1966, the then governor of East Pakistan gave the local people permission to cultivate the lands. Since then, they are cultivating the lands, he said.

Baharuddin, a local leader of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said the railway authorities had acquired the lands for its use. If they decide to lease the lands, farmers who cultivate those should get those.