Paharia community’s eviction halted in Rajshahi as authorities launch probe into land dispute
A planned feast with a slaughtered goat for the families, scheduled for today, has been called off
Authorities in Rajshahi have launched an investigation into the eviction of Paharia community members, where their 53-year-old settlement was being cleared for alleged land grabbing worth crores of taka. For now, no eviction will take place.
The local land office and local police began investigating the incident yesterday (4 September). Meanwhile, a planned feast with a slaughtered goat for the families, scheduled for today, has been called off.
The settlement of the ethnic minorities in Rajshahi's Mollapara has existed for about 53 years. Thirteen Paharia families live there.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Recently, local resident Sajjad Ali began efforts to evict them, claiming ownership of the land. To mark the eviction scheduled for Sunday (7 September), he had even arranged a goat feast for the families today.
The Paharia families claim that the land originally belonged to a washerman named Indra Dhupi. After the Liberation War, he allowed six Paharia families returning from India to settle there.
They say the land was then known as Indra Dhupa's Bathan and that Indra Dhupi died childless.
According to the land office, the plot in Horogram Mouza measures 37.94 decimals. The RS record shows the owners as Gazia Rozkini of Kazi Hata in Rajshahi and Monitara Rozkini of Kotwali, Mymensingh.
However, in 1994–95, the land was transferred to Sajjad Ali, Syed Ali, Imtiaz and Fahmida.
Documents Sajjad presented to the police showed that they bought the land from Madhusudan Das, Dilip Das, Surjo Kamal Das, Prakash Das and Tripal Rozak.
A land officer said that if Sajjad's documents had been directly from Gazia Rozkini and Monitara Rozkini, there would be no questions.
"But how the land was transferred to Madhusudan Das, Dilip Das, Surjo Kamal Das, Prakash Das and Tripal Rozak remains unclear. Without those earlier deeds, Sajjad's documents are questionable and need investigation."
Sajjad Ali claims Indra Dhupi sold the land to him before his death, adding that local arbitrations failed to resolve the matter as his documents were considered fake.
After the ouster of the Awami League government on 5 August last year, he resumed eviction attempts.
Yesterday morning, local police and officials visited the neighbourhood, called Sajjad to the spot and listened to both sides.
The Paharia community said it is their birthplace and that they wish to stay there.
Sajjad, however, insisted his deed is valid and that he regularly pays taxes on the piece of land.
He said he has already compensated the Paharia families with Tk30 lakh in total.
On the goat feast issue, Sajjad said, "They have lived here so long. Since they were leaving, I wanted to feed them chicken, but they themselves asked for goat."
Police later declared that no such feast would take place today.
Ariful Islam, assistant commissioner (land) of the Borokuthi Land Office, said the district administration asked him to investigate the issue, adding that he has sent a surveyor and will submit a full report.
Kashiadanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Azizul Bari Sajjad said, "We will act in a way that does not violate human rights. For now, the residents will stay as they are. All land documents will be scrutinised thoroughly and necessary steps will be taken."
'We want to stay right here'
Tunu Biswas of the Paharia community said that if Sajjad, as he claims, bought the land in 1994, where has he been all this time? "Why did he come here only after Hasina fled the country?"
"We do not want to leave this place; we want to stay right here," he added.
Meanwhile, Jarina Biswas of the community said, "They gave us money so that we would stay silent. They gave us money to force us into leaving.
"But we do not want to leave; we want to stay here. Yesterday, officials came here and told us we could stay."
Associate Professor Golam Sarwar of the History Department at Rajshahi University said, "We do not accept the eviction of indigenous people. They are here, and they must remain here."
Choton Sardar, general secretary of the Rajshahi metropolitan unit of the Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, said, "We will not accept the eviction of families who have lived here for 53 years. We want the administration to take steps to ensure they can stay."
Mohinul Hasan, additional deputy commissioner (Revenue) of Rajshahi district, said, "The district administration is investigating the matter as per the directive of the Deputy Commissioner. We are first verifying the ownership of the land. After that, further measures will be taken. For the time being, the indigenous people have been asked to remain there."
