Pabna, Jan 25, (V7N) - Several claimants to a disputed piece of land recently held a press conference, addressing allegations of land seizure and the construction of Ashrayan Project homes. The claimants accused local authorities of seizing the land during the Awami League government's tenure and building Ashrayan Project houses on it by using intimidation tactics.
 
The claims were made during a press conference on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in the West Jamua area of the Vadhara Union in Pabna, where the Ashrayan Project houses had been demolished.
 
Ismail Hossain Pramanik, one of the landowners, claimed that their ancestors had purchased the land from the then Zamindar in 1947 and had been in possession of it ever since. He also stated that the land is registered in their names under the DSR and CSR records. However, during the RS record process, their land was mistakenly attached to adjacent government land, and the issue is still under litigation in court.
 
Taking advantage of this dispute, and due to personal vendettas, former Chairman of Vadhara Union and Awami League leader Abu Sayeed Khan allegedly seized the land and handed it over to the local administration, who later constructed Ashrayan Project houses on it.
 
However, Ismail Hossain Pramanik and his family asserted that after Abu Sayeed Khan fled the area on August 5, the residents of the Ashrayan Project voluntarily left their homes and took down their houses. They denied any accusations of evictions or demolitions, claiming that the allegations in the media regarding house destruction are false.
 
During the press conference, Ismail Hossain Pramanik, the son of the late Abul Hossain Pramanik, along with his six brothers and several local residents, voiced their concerns.
 
In a related matter, a powerful local group is accused of seizing land and demolishing 60 Ashrayan Project homes in West Jamua of Vadhara Union, Pabna. The group allegedly not only demolished the homes but also looted doors, windows, and tin roofing materials from the houses.
 
Victims of the incident claimed that on the night of August 5, several influential local figures forcibly evicted families from their homes, claiming ownership of the land, and looted everything in the houses. As a result, the displaced families are now living in other people's homes and temporary shelters in difficult conditions.
 
The group, which claims ownership of the Ashrayan Project land, has also hung a signboard bearing the names of seven individuals on the land, indicating ongoing legal proceedings. The individuals listed as claimants are: Akram Pramanik, Ummat Pramanik, Akkas Pramanik, Ibrahim Pramanik, Ismail Pramanik, Naieb Ali, and Nawab Ali, all from West Jamua, Vadhara Union.
 
Recent media reports have highlighted this issue and brought attention to the alleged land dispute and the destruction of the Ashrayan Project homes.
 
END/SR/SMA/