Even after five years of the work order, the construction work of Mujibnagar Model Mosque in Meherpur has not yet started due to the complexities of land acquisition.
Although the construction work of Model Mosques in district, Sadar Upazila and Gangni Upazila has been completed, the work of the Model Mosque in Mujibnagar, which is full of memories of the liberation war, has not yet started.
Analysing various data of the Model Mosque Project, it has been found that under the project ‘Establishment of 560 Model Mosques and Islamic Cultural Centres in each district and upazila’, the work order for the construction of Mujibnagar Upazila Model Mosque in Meherpur was issued on September 18, 2019. Earlier on June 20 of that year, Meherpur Public Works Department signed a contract with the contractor Galaxy Associates.
The project cost is estimated at Tk 12.59 crore. According to the contract, the contractor company paid a security deposit of Tk 62.95 lakh.
The then Deputy Commissioner Md Ataul Gani gave a letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs on January 1, 2020 for land acquisition. As the land proposed for the acquisition process is not designated for mosque construction, he has applied for approval along with the sketch map, mentioning that 42.92 decimals of land are available in the same mauza, according to the letter.
Then, former deputy commissioner Dr Mohammad Munsur Alam Khan applied to the project director for allocation of Tk 1.87 crore for the proposed acquisition of 42.92 decimals of land on October 24, 2021. Later, an acknowledgment letter was sent to the Project Director on January 30, 2022, stating that the amount has been received.
According to the data, although the land acquisition money has been allocated, it has been four and a half years since the work order was issued and almost two and a half years have passed since the allocation was received, but the land has not been acquired till now. As a result, the people of Mujibnagar are waiting when the model mosque will be built.
On the other hand, the contracting firm is suffering financial losses. It repeatedly applied to the department concerned to start the work quickly. Following the application of the contractor, the executive engineer of the Public Works Department has written to the Deputy Commissioner. But there has been no progress.
In this regard, Meherpur Islamic Foundation Deputy Director AJM Sirajum Munir said, “Land Acquisition Officer, UNO and myself have prepared a report and sent the file for land acquisition for the purpose of establishing Mujibnagar Model Mosque. However, on 30 July 2024, I revisited the site along with DC (overall), ADM, ADC (revenue), executive engineer of Public Works Department and AC Land, Mujibnagar and spoke to the land owners. We also saw a new site. No final decision has been taken yet.”
Zakir Hossain Khan, representative of the contractor company Galaxy Associates, said five years have passed since the contract was signed for the Mujibnagar Model Mosque. “The price of every necessary material has increased. As the land is not acquired, the work cannot be started. As a result, I am suffering financially. I am repeatedly applying to the institutions concerned to no avail.”
Local Chairman Ayub Hossain said Mujibnagar is one of the important upazilas of Bangladesh and for this reason, the model mosque here should have been built first. “But due to the indifference of the department concerned, I have come to know that it has not been possible to acquire the land yet, which is very sad. I hope that the people concerned will take all measures to build this mosque soon.”
Deputy Commissioner Md Shamim Hasan said one of the two owners of the proposed land has filed a case and one has requested not to acquire it. The land acquisition process is stuck due to complications related to this. As a result, the work of the model mosque cannot be started.
Project Director Md Najibar Rahman said the work will start only after the Deputy Commissioner acquires the land. “We have given money for land acquisition. I am repeatedly asking for land acquisition. A meeting was held in this regard on April 22.”
