Cox's Bazar Correspondent

"Money can buy corrupt administration. I also bought Aceland and DC for 20 lakhs. If not, in front of the eyes of the administration can occupy government land and build houses? Why are you not evicting me despite the court's eviction order? The journalist brothers understood how to get all the money.

Faridul Islam, who is known as a "land robber" of Peshkar neighborhood of the city, addressed the reporters when asked about the construction of a house in Pona Market area, which is worth crores of government land worth crores of rupees. At this time, he told reporters, what is the use of news in everything? I give everyone some expenses and then leave. It has been seen on the surface that Faridul Islam has built a structure by occupying the government land at Pona Market in the city under the nose of the administration. He is even building a house by occupying the road drain. To continue the occupation, he organized a picnic with recently identified criminals and various levels of government party leaders.

Farid said these things when some journalists from Cox's Bazar appeared at the scene. In the letter signed by Deputy Collector (Revenue) Manjur Alam on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner on April 24 of this year, following the complaint of a victim, he directed the Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) to take action against the construction of houses on government Khas land and the blocking of water channels. But for mysterious reasons no action was taken. Locals said that due to the mysterious role of the district administration, the land grab gang is occupying one land after another. Government property worth crores of rupees may be lost if the canals and Khas lands are not cleared quickly.

According to information, land grabber Farid has earlier been accused of river encroachment, illegal sand mining and private land encroachment. He did not have to go under the law even though he occupied it repeatedly. As a result, Faridul Islam and his associates are recklessly carrying on occupation.

Recently, about twenty Ganda Khas have occupied the land and constructed a residence in the Pona market area. He kept drug addicts and drug dealers and criminals as tenants to occupy the land. Recently, along with the occupation of government land, he came into discussion while occupying privately owned land. Incidents of assaults and lawsuits have also taken place while occupying the drains and land. Meanwhile, on April 1, a person named Advocate Abdul Khalek Chowdhury filed a written complaint against him to the district administration to take necessary measures for construction of houses on government private land and rescue of water channels.

In view of this, on April 24, in a letter signed by Deputy Collector (Revenue) Manjur Alam on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner, Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) instructed to take action against the construction of houses on government Khas land and blocking of water channels.

Local residents said that once AC land arrived at the scene with a group, but he left the scene without evacuating. Abdul Khalek Chowdhury, who complained about this, said that the land robber Faridul Alam is trying to encroach by disobeying the order of the High Court by building a residential house on government land. The culvert constructed by LGED is blocking the adjacent water channel.

I have written to the district administration to protect Khas land from the hands of the encroachers and to implement the High Court order. But the district administration did not come to evacuate for mysterious reasons.

Because of which the government land will become barren forever and we fear that our houses will be submerged in water during the monsoon season due to disruption of water flow. Therefore, it is necessary to rescue the said land from the hands of the government and public interest. He also alleged that the land grabber Farid came here and managed the Deputy Commissioner and Aceland with huge money. No one will come to evict. I have occupied the land before. Nobody could do anything to me.

Locals said that on June 8, Farid had a picnic with the leader of the government party and identified criminals on the occupied government land. They rejoice there. Farid and his associates did this basically to make their position known.

When asked, Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Lands) Arif Ullah Nizami denied the bribery transaction and said, "I asked the person named Farid to leave the government land and move on his own initiative. If not, eviction operations will be conducted.

When the matter was brought to notice, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shaheen Imran said, "I will not comment on what was said in my name." If anyone encroaches on government land and constructs it, it will be evicted.