Hill Voice, 25 July 2020, Natore:  Indigenous freedom fighter Naika Mardi could not settle the khas land measuring only 0.04 acre of his homestead in his own name even after trying for 10 years in the land office of Tanore upazila of Natore district.

According to the family sources of locals and freedom fighter Naika Mardi, like everyone in Mohammadpur Adivasipara of Tanore Upazila, Naika Mardi has been living on 0.04 acre of government khas land since long before independence of the country.

He is currently living in the house with his 4 sons. For the last 10 years, he has not been able to settle in his own name even after continuous attempt at the land office to settle only 0.04 acre of government khas land.

Freedom fighter Naika Mardi said, “I have applied to the concerned department including the land office several times, but the land officials did not document in their own name. He said, I joined the liberation war risking my life. It has been almost 49 years since I fought for the country. I have not been able to register my homestead in my own name for many years.

“I don’t know if the children will be able to stay in this housestead after my death,” he said. Trying to document this homestead in his name to survive, he could not do it in 10 years.

In this regard, the former freedom fighter commander of Tanore Upazila Abdul Wahab Sheikh said, why the freedom fighters will not get the land of their homestead in his own name after the independence of the country?

When contacted, Tanore Land Office officials said they had no application for Naika Mardi. So, they said they did not know anything about it.

When contacted, Tanore Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sushanta Kumar Mahato said, “We will take the matter seriously and take steps to give the land in his name.”