B. Chowdhury Tuhin, Noakhali

Serious allegations of bribery, irregularities, and demanding illegal payments on various pretexts have been raised against Nazrul Islam Mamun, the steno of the Noakhali Land Survey Tribunal, during the handling of legal proceedings. A plaintiff named Md. Ayub Mia has formally demanded a thorough investigation and strict legal action over the matter.

In connection with the incident, Md. Ayub Mia has submitted written complaints to the Noakhali District and Sessions Judge Court as well as the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. According to the complaint, he filed Land Survey Tribunal (LST) Case No. 561/2022 after a parcel of land was erroneously recorded under another person's name.

The complaint states that Steno Nazrul Islam Mamun routinely demanded between Tk 500 and 1,000 on every scheduled hearing date of the case. The plaintiff alleged that failure to pay these sums resulted in intentional delays, with subsequent dates pushed far into the future. Furthermore, accusations were made that the steno demanded between Tk 2,000 and 3,000 for unilateral case handlings.

Ayub Mia stated that July 12 was previously fixed for the testimony of the defendant's witness. Because the defense took no action, his lawyer presented arguments, prompting the court to set August 2 for closing arguments. At that time, the steno allegedly took Tk 500 from him and recorded August 2 as the date for unilateral arguments in the case side-note. Subsequently, the steno reportedly took money from the defense side and rescheduled a new date for September 13.

The complainant asserted that general citizens are suffering intense harassment due to such activities by the steno. He has demanded a proper investigation, strict legal action against Nazrul Islam Mamun, and his immediate withdrawal from the Noakhali Land Survey Tribunal.

Commenting on the case, Advocate Anjan Kumar stated that LST Case No. 561/2022 has been assigned a next hearing date, but when asked about financial transactions, the lawyer stated he had no information regarding the matter.

In response to the accusations, Land Survey Tribunal Steno Nazrul Islam Mamun claimed, "All the allegations brought against me are false and fabricated, aimed at tarnishing my reputation."