Unocal developing lands under police protection

However, the landowners obtained bail from a magistrate court in Habiganj on October 23.

The cases were filed after the latest round of meeting between company officials and landowners failed. The landowners are demanding a 'just' price for their lands acquired by the government for the company for gas exploration.

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The landowners, meantime, have submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, alleging "unwanted and unbecoming behaviour" by company officials during a negotiation meeting. They alleged that the company officials had called police when the meeting was being held, sources said.

The government in November last year acquired 50 acres of land from 144 villagers for Unocal's South Pad.

Since then there has been a row between the landowners and company officials though the company officials, after several meetings, agreed to raise the rate of compensation announced earlier. This was done at the intervention of Habiganj Deputy Commissioner.

On 27 March this year, the authorities assured of raising the previously fixed compensation rate of Tk 5 lakh per acre.

The villagers had been demanding Tk 15 Lakh per acre. After the assurance, the villagers suspended their agitation and helped the company in its work.

They started agitation again on October 4 as they did not get the compensation money even in seven months.

They said that the compensation rate of Tk 5 lakh per acre would not be acceptable.

On October 4, the landowners under the leadership of Syed Monzur Ali stopped all land development work at South Pad. On October 5, Unocal's Project Supervisor for Bibiyana Project Neil-Reco filed a case against16 people including Syled Monzur Ali, who owns 20 acres out of the total of 50 acres.

Additional police were deployed at the site, who are on a hunt for landowners, Ali told this correspondent yesterday.

"Unocal has taken our paternal lands without giving any price", he said.

Moreover, it has filed cases and police are harassing innocent landowners, he alleged.

"My family owns 20 acres of land out of the total 50 acres. We were compelled to stay out of homes for over two weeks before obtaining bail from court", Ali said.

He said he managed to meet Energy Advisor Mahmudur Rahman who came on a short visit to the South Pad Tuesday afternoon. The Advisor assured him of looking into the matter, he added.

When contacted, a Unocal official told the Daily Sthat the company agreed to pay a higher price but this is to be decided by the district administration and the land ministry.