Hill Voice, 2 July 2020, Khagrachari:  It is alleged that Longadu Upazila Chairman Md. Abdul Barek Sarkar allotted 3.0 acres of land of Holding No. R-50 belonging to Nabinchan Chakma among the Muslim settlers disregarding the order of the Assistant Commissioner (Land) / AC (Land) of Longadu Upazila.

It may be mentioned that following the construction of house in the dark of night forcibly occupying 3.0 acre of land (R-50) settled after Nabinchan Chakma by the Muslim settlers, Longadu Upazila Land Office ordered both the Jumma and the settlers to maintain the status quo.

It may be mentioned that on the night of 4 June 2020, two settlers named Md. Ali Ahmed Chowdhury and Abdul Alim Sarkar of Rangipara of Bagachatar Union of Longadu built a house on 3.0 acres of land settled by Nabinchan Chakma of the same union. On 16 June, Nabinchan Chakma filed an application with the UNO demanding demolition of the illegally constructed house.

Following the application, on 22 June 2020, AC (Land) of Longadu along with the police force, surveyors, dignitaries of the area and all the plaintiffs and defendants visited the land and instructed not to carry out any activities in the land till further orders.

But even though Nabinchan Chakma, the owner of the land, complied with the order, the Muslim settlers ignored it and continued clearing the jungle and planting fruit trees in the area. In this regard, Nabinchan Chakma again informed the matter to the AC (Land).

Later, the AC (Land) asked all the plaintiffs and defendants to meet him at his office on 25 June 2020 with the documents. Although Nabinchan Chakma was able to show all the recorded documents at the meeting, the settlers could show nothing but a document on the white paper of land purchase.

At that time, the Chairman of Longadu Upazila Parishad Abdul Barek Sarka, on behalf of the settlers, proposed to postpone the time for another 2/3 days. Accordingly, the AC (Land) also agreed with him and fixed 29 June as the date of the arbitration.

Although the land was supposed to be visited again on 29 June 2020, Abdul Barek Sarkar did not go there and sitting in a tea shop at the crossroads of Bagachatar, allotted land of Nabinchan Chakma among three settlers, namely, Md. Ali Sardar of Ward No. 1, Md. Abdul Alim Sarkar of Ward No. 1 and Ali Ahmed Chowdhury of Ward No. 5 in Bogachatar Union.

This has caused a strong reaction in the area. At the time of writing, the Longadu Upazila Land administration has not yet taken a stand against the illegal activities of the Upazila Chairman in defiance of the administration’s ban.