Govt changes decision in favour of vested quarters

Due to lack of landing yard at Bhomra customs checkpoint, a Bangladesh truck loads goods from an Indian truck on a nearby road. PHOTO: STAR

Conflict between two groups in the port area who are obstructing acquisition of land surfaced as the district administration targeted to acquire lands and homesteads of 150 families at the behest of some influentials, changing their earlier decision to acquire croplands nearby. The lands can not be acquired due to the conflict, sources claimed.

Shipping Minister Col (Rtd) Akbar Hossain at a meeting there in 2004 declared that Bhomra would be developed into a full-fledged land port and a private developer company was designated for this. But everything remained stalled.

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The district administration had earlier selected croplands near the check post for acquisition. But the authorities changed the decision allegedly because the croplands were owned by some local influentials, who opposed the move.

The 22 influentials, many of them known for land grabbing earlier, submitted joint petitions to the customs authorities and the prime minister to change the decision, saying that the lands proposed for acquisition were graveyards.

The authorities then changed their decision and targeted to acquire lands by evicting 150 families, most of them of Hindu community in Laxmidari village.

The people of Laxmidari village opposed the plan, saying the change in the decision was due to a conspiracy by some vested quarters. At a press conference on March 14, they also sought intervention by the prime minister to save them from being evicted from their ancestral homesteads.

They also threatened to launch tougher agitation programs to resist the authorities' move. Since then, all activities to acquire land is stopped.

"Export import through Bhomra started in 1996. Though there is virtually no infrastructure facilities, it exceeded the revenue earning target every year", said Satkhira Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Sheikh Azhar Hossain while talking to this correspondent. All official activities at the customs check post are done in a three-room small tin-shed structure.

On contact, Satkhira Deputy Commissioner Md Ilias said, land acquisition is being delayed due to obstacle by a some people in the area.

"We are trying to acquire lands through understanding without applying any force", he said.

"We have taken a soft stance to resolve the problem through negotiation with locals as it is difficult to evict 150 families," said an official at the check post.