MR Amin, Chittagong

Although there is a strict law to recover the land of Bangladesh Railway, thousands of acres of land are under the control of the encroachers due to the lack of its effective implementation. Even though some land is recovered due to awareness public and news published in the media, it is again dispossessed - comments of the railway officials themselves.

Railway assets are most closely watched by leading industrial groups of the country. Showing thumbs up to the railway administration, they have taken crores of government property as their own without any objection.

In addition to that land, various organizations have leased the land and other assets owned by the railways in the vicinity and are busy creating a terrorist force in their own ring to forcefully occupy it.

Karnaphuli Steel Mills, a subsidiary of TK Group, the country's leading edible oil producer, is located in Bara Kumira, next to Kumira Railway Station in Sitakunda. It has been alleged that 1.33 acres of property is being leased as agricultural land from the Railway Eastern Zone Authority and is being used commercially.

Moreover, in violation of the terms of the lease agreement, construction of labor sheds on that land, filling of ponds, construction of boundary walls, relocation of old madrasas for the sake of their own institutions, relocation of Shaheed Minaret, black smoke, emission of polluted water and use of dangerous gas in residential areas, harming the environment and their own thugsVarious serious allegations have been raised against Karnaphuli Steel Mills, including forcefully dispossessing the locals by creating an army and threatening them with weapons.

When talking to several residents living next to the institution on the ground, they said that the identified influential Md. of Kumira area. A band of land grabbers led by Mohmis Reza and Mohammad Ali have seized land worth crores of rupees under Kumira railway station.

They openly fenced iron-tin fences on the said valuable railway land adjacent to the station. Illegally filled the ground. Common people were forcibly evicted from the colony and occupied. Many colonists were forced to move away due to terrorist threats. Complaining against them to the police station and repeatedly informing the railway authorities, there is practically no remedy, the locals complain.

A few people on the condition of anonymity told this reporter that the terrorist group is desperate to implement the agenda of Karnaphuli Steel Mills, a subsidiary of TK Group, a top producer of edible oil.

The business group is paying huge sums of money to take possession of this huge property owned by the railways.

The local people also complained that when the common people tried to stop their activities, the land robbers came with weapons and threatened to kill them.

According to local sources, TK Group has constructed a boundary wall as a permanent structure on agricultural lease land. A truck road has been built. A pond has been dug. Water pump built inside with tin fence.

On investigation it was found that DEO/ 395- Agriculture/ Kumira/ 05/ 747/ 361/ on 30/ 03/ 2005 in Kumira station area of Sitakunda in two plots between west side of railway line (km. 23/2 to 23/4). 1.33 acres of land was issued against Karnaphuli Steel Mill Limited by the then Chittagong Divisional Land PropertyOfficer Mubarak Ulya.One of the two plots is 48 thousand 420 square feet, the other is 9 thousand 600 square feet.According to railway sources, according to condition number 4 of the agricultural lease contract, any work other than the cultivation of the crops grown on the said land, construction of houses and doors for living, construction of shops, planting of trees or gardens, digging of ponds, drains or canals, roads, mosques. , for temples, crematoriums, cemeteries or any other workThat land cannot be used.In case of violation of this condition, the Railway Administration reserves the right to cancel the license and recover damages. But flouting the existing law, TK Group has built a commercial establishment at the site.

Earlier too, complaints were raised against the edible oil manufacturing company TK Group for expanding the factory by filling the railway reservoir near the Kumira station.

The complaint was received on February 14 of the year when the railway officials visited the spot and found the fact of filling the reservoir. Later, with the intervention of the administration, the TK Group was forced to fill up the water tank and suspend the expansion of the factory and convey the occupied amount to the Railways.

Meanwhile, on September 22, 2020, the then Divisional Land Property Officer of Railway Eastern Region, Kangkan Chakma, issued a summons for explanation and a show cause notice to the Managing Director of Karnaphuli Steel Mill, Abul Kalam, for constructing a labor shed on the leased agricultural land in violation of the lease agreement.

The manager of the mill at that time, Md. Saifuddin Chowdhury, explained that due to the corona outbreak, a temporary labor shed has been constructed in place of the railway. Not a permanent establishment.

An application has been made to the Railway Eastern Zone Authority for long-term lease or clear lease of the lands. If the authorities do not accept the application, the structure will be removed. There is no response to the application but the building is still standing.

However, a new law was enacted during the then Awami League government to recover the property of the railway department which was under seizure.

The law enacted to recover property is called Bangladesh Railway Immovable Property (Recovery of Illegal Possession) Act-2021. An offense committed under this Act can be arrested without a warrant.

According to the law, the lands, buildings, reservoirs, plants and structures of Bangladesh Railways or their parts which have been occupied without the prior permission of the railway authorities will be recovered by applying the new law.

Besides, after the expiry of the license or lease or settlement or rent, no one can occupy the property. But there is no effective application of it - said the concerned.

Commenting that the TK Group has violated the conditions of the agricultural license, Nashir, a permanent resident of the area and a former railway official, said that action should be taken against the company by following proper legal procedures.

When asked about this matter, Bangladesh Railway Divisional Land Property Officer (DEO) and Executive Magistrate Dipankar Tanchangya said, "We have come to our notice that some land grabbers have taken possession of the land of Railway Colony near Kumira Railway Station along with Karnaphuli Steel. When we went to carry out an eviction operation on November 25 last year with the help of the police and RNB, they attacked us. Injured the driver of the excavator. The matter has been informed to senior officials. Further action will be taken as per their instructions.

Chief Land Officer (CEO) of Railway East in this matter. Mahbub ul Karim said that there is no chance of illegal use of railway land. Anyone who violates the terms of the lease will have their license revoked. However, I have received complaints about the open occupation of railway land in the Kumira station area. We have informed the higher officials about the matter. Hopefully we will soon take a firm stand and this land will be fully recovered and brought under the railways.

If you want to know about this, the GM of Karnaphuli Steel Mills Limited. Abdul Quader got the identity of the reporter and asked him to call later on the pretext of meeting. After calling again, he did not receive