• Benazir forced people to sell land at a cheap rate
•The lands, mostly cropland, bought in the name of his wife using 113 deeds
Former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed has been embroiled in controversy for the past few days. In its latest installment, allegations of coercion and unfair land purchases have surfaced in Madaripur.
About 90 acres of land have been found in Madaripur, which was bought in the name of ex-IGP’s wife Zeeshan Mirza using 113 deeds.
These lands, mostly owned by Hindu families, were bought in phases a month until Benazir’s retirement in 2022.
Investigation revealed that many people were coerced, while some claimed to have been subjected to torture for refusing to sell land in Rajoir upazila bordering Gopalganj.
It has been alleged that Benazir abused his power during his tenure as IGP and forced the people to sell the land at a cheap rate in Rajoir upazila. Finally, the victims have started to speak about the coercion after a court order to confiscate Benazir’s property.
Locals said that the land was bought in the name of Benazir's wife Satpar Dumuria, Natakhola and Barakhola Mauza of Rajoir's Kadambari Union.
Benazir bought one bigha land in 62 decimal in Dumuria Mauza of Kadambari union. The price of land per bigha was Tk4.5lakh.
Apart from this, some land has also been found in Shibchar upazila.
In addition, Benazir's family bought 5 katha of land in Thengamara Mauza of Shibchar Municipality in 2015.
Apart from that, people are saying that he has land in Kanthalbari and Charjanajat Union of Shibchar upazila.
During a visit at Aruakandi village of Kadambari union of Rajoir upazila, local people said that Benazir bought each bigha of land at a price of Tk3.5 lakh but the actual price of the land in the area Tk1.50 lakh higher than the price that was paid by Benazir.
They accused Benazir of forcibly registering the cropland with the help of a local man named Tayeb Ali. Although the people are relieved by the court’s order to confiscate Benazir’s properties, the landowners’ fear has not subsided.
Bhasaram Sen from Arayakandi village of Kadambari union in Rajoir said Benazir forced them to sell 24.83 acres of crop land belonging to his family two years ago at a rate of Tk3.5 lakh per bigha.
“He first bought land surrounding our plot and then forced us to sell ours”, Sen said.
Swaraswati Roy, 70, from Satpar Dumuria village said: "We used to cultivate in our lands. We were dependent on that land. We did not want to give the land. Benazir threatened and forced us to sell. I was holding on to this cropland with great difficulty but could not save it.”
Rasmoy Biswas, a resident of Barakhola village, said that the former police chief has taken 32 decimals of their land.
Many others like them raised similar allegations against the former police officer.
Amal Bala of Kadambari area said: "Benazir Ahmed threatened us because he did not want to sell the land. He threatened us with his people that if we did not sell the land, he would make a wall blocking all sides of our land. Many people have written down the land due to such oppression.”
Attempts were made to contact Tayeb Ali, who is known as “land broker” to the locals, but he could not be reached.
Belal Rizvi, president of Madaripur Television Journalist Forum, said: "This former IGP not only illegally owns wealth, but he has misused the power of the state at various times.”
Advocate Masud Parvez, president of Madaripur Development Council, said that the former IGP hails from Gopalganj. But his purchase of a large amount of property in Madaripur has come as a surprise.
“We have come to know that he forcibly bought the land of most of the Hindus. The Hindu families were forced to give the lands to him out of fear,” said Masud.
Forcing someone to sell crop land even after paying money is extremely unfair. This injustice should be addressed. The land should be returned to the owners, he added.
The Business World
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