Khas land allocated decade ago still eludes the landless
Officials of Dhaka-based rights organisations hear from a landless elderly person who is yet to get possession of his government allocated khas land at Bhogdabari union in Domar upazila under Nilphamari district although the local administration handed over the relevant documents to him over a decade ago. One hundred and forty-six other landless people in the union are also in the same boat as local influential people have continued their illegal occupation of the lands meant for landless people. Photo: STAR
A staggering 147 of the 150 landless families in Bhogdaburi union under Domar upazila, who received kobuliat (registration documents) for government allocated khas land over a decade ago, are yet to get possession of the lands, as influential people continued their illegal occupation there. The deprived people narrated their ordeal as officials from the capital, representing Action Aid, Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust, Transparency International Bangladesh, Association for Land Reform and Development and Nijera Kori along with three local journalists of the Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and the Kaler Kantho met them at Niz Bhogdaburi village on Sunday. Three local journalists of the Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and the Kaler Kantho accompanied the officials of the five renowned organisations during their visit. "I got government document for a plot of 25-decimal khas land in 2000. But I am yet to get its possession as Abu Taher and Abdur Rahman, two local influential people, have forcibly kept occupying the land," said Safiar Rahman, 40, a landless person of Purbo Bhogdaburi village. "On 29 February this year, I along with some of my relatives went to get possession of my government allocated land. But the occupants and their hoodlums attacked and beat us mercilessly. They broke a leg of my relative named Sabu. He is now taking treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital. “I went to local union parishad chairman, members, and a few local elites, seeking justice for the assault and getting possession of my land but none paid any heed to my appeal. Finding no way I filed a case with the judicial magistrate's court in Nilphamari two days later," said Safiar. Bachhu Mia, 40, of Niz Bhogdaburi village said, "My mother Kulsum Bewa, 65, got land document for 25 decimal 'khas' land on December 28 of 1999. From then she cherished a dream to make a house on own land. But local wealthy men did not leave its possession despite repeated efforts. My mother died one year ago, without seeing her dream fulfilled.†The district administration allocated government khas land through registration documents to about 150 landless people in Bhogdaburi village during 1999-2002 period but only three of them have got possession of their lands till now, land office sources said. Meanwhile, quite a few of the allottees passed away and their inheritors continued struggling to get possession of the land. Most of the illegal occupants of khas land are property owners and moneyed people whereas landless, homeless, river erosion victims, physically challenged, widows, childless poor women and divorcees are eligible for getting allotment and possession of such land according to government law. A number of landless people including Manik Sheikh, 65, Asgar Ali, 70, Abu Taleb, 50, Monad Ali, 55, Anisur Rahman, 57, and Rokeya, 50, said they submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner's office last month to get possession of the khas land allocated for them. When contacted, union assistant land officer Hamidar Rahman, who is responsible to look after all land related matters in the union, said he had nothing to do in this regard. Chairman of Bhogdaburi union parishad Abu Taher said he issues certificates to people eligible for getting khas land in his union but he had little to do with the problem. Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mazid said, “As per my direction, the UNO of Domar investigated the matter and submitted a report which we will review soon. It is very difficult to recover the khas lands as the beneficiaries got documents long ago and did not come to the authorities in time. However, I am committed to helping the legal document holders." The representatives of five leading organisations from the capital and three local journalists accompanying them assured the landless people of all-out legal support to establish their rights on the allocated khas lands.
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