BNP leader accused of grabbing vanchalk's land and threatening Hindu family in Manikganj

In Manikganj's Saturia upazila, a BNP leader has been accused of encroaching on the land of a van driver. Apart from this, he has been accused of threatening a Hindu family and blocking them in their house.

The accused leader's name is Motaleb Hossain (50). He is General Secretary of Tilli Union BNP.

None of the victims are associated with party politics. They said that Motaleb is doing this by taking advantage of the situation that arose after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

According to local people and victim van driver Tara Mia's (55) family, in 2021, BNP leader Motaleb Hossain's cousin Kamrul Islam alias Khokon sold 45 century land to Tara Mia, a van driver of Tilli village. Since then, they have been cultivating rice in that land. But after the fall of the Awami League government, Motaleb Hossain occupied that land with 15 to 20 people on August 6. After that, he threatened Tara Mia not to cultivate the land or even go near the land. They are not able to cultivate mia on that land.

Tara Mia said yesterday, 'I am buying that land with a lot of difficulty by taking a loan. All the documents of my land are also in order. I have also paid regular land rent. We do not make a party. Motaleb forcibly took that land of mine. I can't go to that land for fear of him.'

Regarding the complaint, BNP leader Motaleb Hossain said that the land is their property. All the land documents are in their name. No one's land was taken by force.' When asked why he went to take possession of that land, he said that the land was lying. The arbitration was held three times. He claimed to have got the land award in his favor.

A Hindu family in fear

The family of Ranjit Sarkar (62), a resident of Ghoshpara, Tilli village, is passing the day in fear due to the threats of BNP leader Motaleb. The family members are not able to go out of the house. They are very much blocked in their homes.

On Friday afternoon, speaking with the victim's family and local people on the spot, it is said that about six months ago, there was a dispute between Ranjit Sarkar's relatives regarding land issues. BNP leader Motaleb demanded Tk 50,000 to settle the matter. Later Ranjit Sarkar settled the family dispute and did not give Motaleb the money demanded by him. He got angry about this. After the fall of the government on August 5, Motaleb threatened to beat up Ranjith Sarkar with two of his associates.

Ranjit Sarkar's three daughters. He married his eldest daughter. Maid's daughter Chandana Sarkar (24) completed her post graduation from Jagannath University this year. Maid's daughter Chandana said, 'There is no one in our family who earns money except my father. My father is unable to go to his workplace NGO office in Tilli Bazar due to threats. Can't even go to the market for fear of beating. I am in fear of when my father will be beaten.'

Ranjit Sarkar said, 'I was a member of UP 10 years ago. I don't belong to any party. Despite this, he is threatening to beat me up.'

Motaleb Hossain, General Secretary of Union BNP, said that several cases were filed against him during the autocratic government. In his opinion, Ranjit Sarkar had a role in making him an accused in these cases. But the allegation of threatening to beat him is false. He did not threaten Ranjit Sarkar.

When BNP Chairperson's Advisor and District BNP President Afroza Khan Rita was contacted, she said that party leaders and workers have been strictly warned not to vandalize, encroach, extort and threaten. If anyone does this after this, he will be expelled from the party.

Source: Prothom Alo

Bangladesh /SBT