Khagrachari Correspondent: In Khagrachari hill district Sadar Upazila, the Awami League leader’s pond is being filled with soil for a huge Tk. Vice-Chairman of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Parishad and Finance Secretary of Sadar Upazila Awami League Md Akter Hossain.
He was elected upazila vice-chairman in Khagrachari Sadar upazila parishad election under the banner of Nagrik Parishad in the last upazila parishad election. Before this he was Chhatra Dal leader. He also marched against Hybrid Awami League many times. But with the change of power, the Awami League leader has changed his character. Not only the leader, but recently shared the post of finance secretary of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Awami League. Using his party power, he has recently filled a nearly 100-year-old pond in Ganjpara area of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila. Although Akhter Hossain claims that he has filled this pond with a contract of 30 lakh rupees, there is no interest here.
According to locals and eyewitnesses, just a month ago there was a huge pond at the junction of three roads next to Ganjpara Al Amin Baria Madrasa (MA Haque). Fish were cultivated in this pond, locals used to bathe, children used to play on hot days. But now there is no sign of the pond. Now it’s like a huge football field.
The investigation revealed that throughout the month of April, Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Awami League Finance Secretary and Upazila Vice-Chairman Akter Hossain filled the pond by throwing sand and soil in broad daylight. Even though this happened in Ganjpara of Khagrachari city, the administration was sleeping. At present, each land in Ganjpara is being sold for about 16 lakhs. As such, the current market value of a century filled pond is around 8 crore rupees. However, even though the local residents are angry about this, they do not have the courage to open their mouths for fear of the influential.
On the condition of anonymity, the locals said that the pond was filled with soil throughout the month of April. At the last minute, the administration stopped the work without filling the right part of the pond.
Convener of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Jubodal Md. Ibrahim said, they have space for 10 people here. 10 centuries each.
A man named Abdul Qayyum told Bhumikho, all the places here are his alone. He himself is the owner of 68 century place. Apart from this, 10th century and 10th century space has been reserved for madrasa.
Regarding Md. Ibrahim’s place, Abdul Qayyum said that some people in the area have only been named to facilitate the purchase of the place. In view of Abdul Qayyum’s statement, Md. Ibrahim threw a counter question and said, are we Abdul Qayyum’s cadre army or not? Not only BNP leader Ibrahim, several crores of rupees have been shared here, including volunteer league leader Tera Mufiz, among influential circles. But Abdul Qayyum was in the background. He is accused of harassing political leaders during the 1/11 government.
Md. Rafiqul Islam, assistant teacher of Ganjpara Al-Amin Baria Madrasa (MA Haque) said, he was in training for a long time. Before going to training, there was the pond. Come and see that the pond is full. He said, this pond is the only source of water in the area. Madrasah teachers and students used the water of this pond for bathing.
Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Erfar Uddin said, it is not known whether there was any pond in Ganjpara. If anyone complains, then action will be taken after investigation. On the other hand, Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Vice-Chairman and Sadar
Upazila Awami League Finance Secretary Md. Akter Hossain said that due to the last minute administration’s block, about 5 percent of the pond could not be completed.
The investigation also revealed that there was joint production of Awami League and BNP in the filling and sharing of ponds for about a hundred years. Among them there are volunteers league leader and convener of Sadar Upazila Jubo Dal and many others. Local residents demanded action against those filling the pond.
