Zaminder bari becomes Joj bari

DHAKA: An influential local family has allegedly occupied the palace of former Hindu Zaminder in district’s Kolakopa under Nawabganj upazila.

The palace, situated under three mouzas —-Hazratpur mouza, Kolakopa mouza and Sadapur mouza, was built during the British rule.

It is now locally known as Joj bari( Judge’s House).

Upazila land office sources said the property belongs to Madhusudan Roy, Shyamlal Roy, Kanailal Saha and Hormohon Saha, was declared vested property and leased out a total of 20.6 acres of land to Ansar Academy in 1979 and 1981.

But, a quarter grabbed a portion of the property along with the beautiful palace, the sources added.

They said the family members of a judge also went for a legal battle and got the verdict in their favour at a lower court.

Later on, the government filed two cases (case number—-253/93 and 254/93) with lower court to reclaim the ownership of the vested property.

The government won the battle and got the court verdict in its favour, but the occupants submitted a revision petition (number 94/2007).

ADC revenue of Dhaka district Janendra said that the court had given a verdict in favour of government to reclaim the land.

Informintg that the matter is now pending with the appellate division, the ADC said, “We could not reclaim the land as the grabbers appealed for revision of the verdict.”

Upazila land office source said, “The government is sincerely trying to reclaim the historic property, and it is fighting the legal battle against the grabbers.”

Meanwhile, locals said that a museum can be set up centering the historic palace of former Hindu landlord.

However, Abul Hossain Mamun, the resident of the house and a judge in Feni district court, claimed that his brother Abul Kalam Khandaker had bought the edifice from his maternal uncle Guljar Hossain.

Guljar Hossain bought the palace from Madhusudan Roy, Shyamlal Roy and others in the eighties, Abul Hossain claimed.

Denying the allegation of grabbing the vested property, the Judge said, “The land was a personal property that we had purchased later. We are paying tax of the land regularly.”

On the other hand, locals informed that the house was built during the British period but the judge was born during the Pakistan period.

“How the house can be joj bari?” they asked.

They alleged the occupant grabbed the land by using muscle power as his one brother is a judge and another brother, Abu Ashfaq, is Nawabganj upazila chairman and also a BNP leader.

However, denying the allegations, Khondoker Abu Ashfaq refused to make any comment and suggested the reporter to talk to the persons blamed for the land grabbing.

BDST: 0955 HRS, MAY 10, 2012
Edited by: Maria Salam, Asst Output Editor