Tawhidul Islam, Cox's Bazar 

A cat-and-mouse game continues over the construction of illegal structures on government land at the entrance of Sugandha Point in Cox’s Bazar’s hotel-motel zone. Despite court orders and multiple administrative directives to halt construction, work has continued clandestinely at night.On Monday afternoon, a team from the Cox's Bazar office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) visited the site. During their visit, the land grabbers' associates obstructed journalists attempting to gather news.

Following the inspection, Anik Barua, Assistant Director of the ACC's Cox's Bazar office, confirmed that forged documents and false court orders had been used to occupy the land.He stated that upon receiving reports of illegal structures being built on government property, the ACC team visited the location. When journalists tried to accompany them, the land grabbers’ people barred their entry. The information obtained on-site indicated that a court order existed on the land. However, the High Court order was appealed by the government at the Supreme Court, which overturned it and instructed to maintain status quo — a fact deliberately concealed by the occupiers. Additionally, the land record used to claim ownership was forged at the local land office.Anik Barua added that legal action would be taken against any government officials and employees involved in this land-grabbing scheme.A visit to the site revealed that a large area to the left of the main road leading from Cox’s Bazar town to Sugandha beach had been fenced with tin sheets. Two signboards were displayed — one in large font reading "Prohibition Order," placed by the grabbers, and another in smaller font reading "Warning Notice," issued by the district administration.Inside, over 2 acres and 30 decimals of government khas land had been seized, and more than a hundred shops constructed.Allegations suggest a syndicate forged documents to seize the decommissioned plots in the hotel-motel zone during a period of administrative laxity starting August 5 last year. The matter caught administrative attention after photos of ongoing construction within the fenced area spread on social media.

According to sources in the Cox's Bazar district administration and Cox's Bazar Development Authority (CDA), the High Court had, in a 2011 ruling, canceled 49 plots in the environmentally critical area (ECA) of the hotel-motel zone. Since then, the land has remained under district administration control. Despite this, a man named Sachidananda Sengupta, using forged documents, claimed ownership of 2 acres and 30 decimals of khas land and started constructing a market overnight. The syndicate even managed to obtain a court injunction on September 3 last year using forged papers. The district administration subsequently appealed to the High Court, which then ordered a status quo. Yet, ignoring the order, the group continued to fill the land and built eight rows of semi-permanent shops, each row containing 12 shops.

Workers reported that one Obaidul Hossain, Vice-President of the Cox’s Bazar unit of the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Projonmo League, has been leading this illegal takeover. His group reportedly includes political leaders and other influential individuals from various professions. The conflict over control of this land has been ongoing since November 2021.Documents show that on January 30, 2024, Sachidananda Sengupta applied to the Cox’s Bazar Development Authority (CDA) for land-use permission. Upon verifying the documents at the land office, the forgery was uncovered. On June 12 last year, CDA’s Assistant Urban Planner Md. Tanvir Hasan Rezaul sent a letter to the district administration and land office highlighting that two government records from the Cox's Bazar Sadar land office had been forged in Sachidananda’s application. The letter further stated that the submitted land record numbered 7900 BS Khatiyan was counterfeit, and legal action was recommended against him for submitting forged documents twice.Md. Tanvir Hasan Rezaul stated, “Any construction requires prior land-use approval from the CDA. No such approval was issued for the land at Sugandha Point.”

The forged khatiyan (land record) carried the signature of then Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Arif Ullah Nizami, with land office Nazir Mohammad Alamgir and copying officer Mohammad Ayach also listed as verifiers. Arif Ullah Nizami, now posted to a different upazila, commented, “A syndicate forged our signatures to produce the fake khatiyan and occupy the government land.”

Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Sharmin Sultana said that once the matter came to the district administration’s attention, a case was filed at Sadar Police Station against Sachidananda Sengupta and another individual. A review of land office records also confirmed that no legitimate khatiyan existed under Sachidananda Sengupta’s name.

Cox’s Bazar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Nizam Uddin Ahmed stated, “After the illegal occupation of government khas land was reported, instructions were given to remove all structures. An eviction drive will be conducted shortly if the illegal establishments are not removed voluntarily.”