Grabber's grip on Hajikhali canal

A section of a water body in Hajikhali bazar area under Patuakhali Sadar upazila of the district has allegedly been occupied by a local influential person.

The occupier erected a bamboo fence in the middle of Hajikhali canal on Thursday, claiming that it was his father's property, locals alleged.

They said a closure was built on the canal around 45 years ago to save agricultural land from saline water. Later on, the fisheries department leased out the canal to a local cooperative society named Hajikhali Jubo Unnayan Samobaya Samity after re-excavating the canal covering two acres of land.

The samobaya samity is still cultivating fishes on the canal by taking lease from the fisheries department, said Abu Daud Kazi, president of the samity.

Sultan Payada, a local influential person, went to the canal with his men on Thursday and started erecting a bamboo fence there, though the samity had been cultivating fish on the canal for about 15 years under the lease, he added.

Sultan paid no heed to the samity members when they asked him to stop.

Members of the samity showed a deed of the lease with signatures of three parties. The first party was the deputy commissioner (DC), the second party was the district fisheries officer and the third party was the samity's president, Daud said.

The five-year deed was signed on January 8 in 2013, and is valid till January 7 of 2018, sources said.

Sultan built the bamboo fence claiming that it was his father's property, though the deed is still valid, Daud said.

"We will submit a complaint against the occupier to the authorities concerned, including the DC's office and the fisheries department, soon," he added.

Sultan said he had recently learned that it was his father's property, which is why he took the land.

He said he was not an occupier but the owner of the land.

District Fisheries Officer Md Iqbal Hossain said nobody informed them about the matter, adding that if the samity men submitted a complaint he would inform the land office.

Assistant Commissioner (AC land) for Patuakhali Sadar upazila Latifa Jannatee said they would take steps immediately against the occupier.

It is a khas land and nobody can claim it as their property, she added.