Md. Ahidul Islam, a resident of Ward No. 8, Bhatibandar, Pirojpur Union, Sonargaon have been running to the court and police since 2014 with the 45.5 decimals of land in their possession, which is owned by their ancestors, next to their residence.  Because some occupiers of their own area want to occupy the land by claiming it as their own, and also want to sell their land to the neighboring Meghna group as their own. Therefore, this helpless farmer is spending the last nine years in the court from door to door for the legal recognition of his ownership of the land.  In the meantime, on the morning of December 25, Iqbal Gong, the son of Sonatali member of Bhatibandar area, claimed to have bought the 7 decimals from this land and went with a force of 100-150 people to encroach on the land of Ahidul Islam.  Later, when the occupants could not stand it and called 999, a police delegation led by SI Anis from Sonargaon police station went there and brought the situation under control.

The inquiry about the land and the case revealed that the entire land is 91 decimals, out of which Ahidul Islam’s father owns 45.5 decimals of the land.  The remaining 45.5 decimals of the land is owned by other individuals through inheritance and purchase and sale. Due to strong and powerful people owning the rest of these parts, some local occupiers have been illegally occupying innocent Ahidul Islam’s ownership part for several years, showing various reasons including claiming that they have their own purchased debt. In 2014, Ahidul Islam sued the court for legal settlement of the whole land as a plaintiff to get recognition of his own ownership of his part of the land. Even when the court case about the land is ongoing, when the occupiers tried to occupy the land many times, Ahidul Islam through his lawyer requested for an interim ban on the occupation, measurement or all kinds of purchase and sale by the defendant or other parties until the court pronounces a verdict on the land. Even in this situation, he said that he will take legal action against this injustice and present the matter in court as they repeatedly want to measure and occupy within 45.5 decimals of the ownership of poor innocent Ahidul Islam, claiming that they have purchased 7 decimals of the 91 decimals of Iqbal Gong land without ignoring the court. In addition, he requested the public representatives, journalists, administration and law enforcement agencies of Sonargaon to provide full cooperation to protect his land against Iqbal Gong and other encroachers untill court decision. He said, I have all the valid documents, after Iqbal gong try force took possession of my land, I have shown all the copies of pending court cases and interim injunctions to police and Pirojpur Union Porishod member Afzal, they will issue an order in this regard, he also said after receiving the call, the police came and saved me and my family from the encroachers. In this regard, Iqbal Gong’s main accuser Iqbal said on the phone that he went there to measure the 7 decimals land he had purchased, but could not measure it due to Ahidul Islam’s obstruction. He left after the local union member Afzal and the police from the police station said that within a few days they would sit down with both sides in the police station.

Staff Reporter, Sonargaon