Barishal SAD leaders accused of grabbing govt land using July uprising injured's name
According to locals sources, temporary structures were being built on the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) land by hired workers, while some students were seen supervising the construction
Several leaders of Student Against Discrimination (SAD) in Barishal have been accused of illegally occupying government land in the district's Rupatoli area, using the name of a person injured during the July uprising.
According to local sources, temporary structures were being built on the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) land by hired workers, while some students were seen supervising the construction.
The land — located near the Rupatoli Bus Terminal and adjacent to the District Social Services Office — was previously leased to 22 stalls by former National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre DG Maj Gen (sacked) Ziaul Ahsan.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
On 22 November 2024, after the fall of the Awami League government, the RHD demolished the 22 stalls along with over 500 illegal structures in the area.
Four months after the eviction, new temporary shops are again being constructed on the same land.
During a site visit, several new makeshift structures were seen in operation. A wooden structure is also being built where a restaurant named "Bhojonbilash" once stood, with students reportedly overseeing the labour.
A carpenter at the site told The Business Standard that they were hired on a daily wage basis. "We heard that 'coordinators' are rebuilding the stalls. One of them is Shahed bhai."
However, denying the allegation, Shehedul Islam Shahed, Barishal SAD convenor, said, "The land is being used by someone injured during the July movement. He plans to run a business there. When the city or administration needs it, it will be vacated. How is this a land grab? The land will be returned as soon as the administration asks."
Meanwhile, Shahed admitted they had not taken any official permission to construct on the RHD land.
When contacted, Barisal RHD Executive Engineer Nazmul Islam told TBS, "We previously evicted illegal structures from the land in front of the Rupatoli Social Services Office. No new leases have been issued. We will send someone to investigate. If any structures have been rebuilt, they will be removed again."
