A section of unscrupulous people at Kaliganj and Kotchandpur upazilas in Jhenidah have been grabbing the railway land. Most of the grabbers constructed shops for business and rent purposes and some constructed houses.
A number of the grabbers have allegedly prepared fake documents anyway and claiming the lands as their own. It has been increasing the accidents. Negligence of the railway authority was blamed for this sort of evil activities for decades together, said the locals.
According to railway sources, there are five railway stations in Jhenidah. Of them Mobarakganj, Barobazer and Sundarpur were located in Kaliganj, while, Safderpur and Kotchandpur in Kotchandpur upazilas.
Some unscrupulous people due to negligence of land assessment department have allegedly established unauthorized infrastructures occupying the railway land.
Most of the grabbers constructed shops for business and rent purposes and some constructed houses. A number of the grabbers have allegedly prepared fake documents anyway and claiming the lands as their own.
When this correspondent paid a visit to some of the stations recently, found huge illegal establishments were set up made the area narrow and congested. Some of the politicians had established their offices hanging signboards on the railway lands.
Some of the shop owners running business on the railway land, said if the government could make shops for them, would be a good initiative to establish them for their livelihood. Further, it could ensure huge revenue for the government.
Barobazer fish vendors association president Abul Kashem said about 300 fish vendors have been running their enterprises on the both sides of the railway stations having lease from the railway department for 99 years.
Grocer Anil Kumar Saha said to survive they have been running their business on the railway lands having no alternatives.
Member of Raghunathpur Union Parishad Belal Hossain Bijoy When contacted said major or minor accidents took place at Kotchandpur and other railway stations due to occupation of railway land in an unplanned way. The grabbers should be evicted for the interest of the people immediately.
Bijoy said a fatal railway accidents left at least 17 people dead and about a hundred people injured at Barobazer railway station when the driver of the train could not see due to occupation by the grabbers.
Chief land officer of Rajshahi west zone of Bangladesh Railway Abdul Mannan when contacted, admitted the occupation of railway lands, said they had evicted the unauthorized grabbers earlier. Once against some of the unscrupulous people had made the infrastructures.
Additional deputy commissioner in Jhenidah Arif Uz Zaman when contacted said they are going to discuss the matter with the railway authority to evict the illegal occupiers and make the station area free from grabbers.
