Md. Foyez Mian, a Bengali settler in Maischari of Khagrachari district, continued to build shops in violation of a high court order asking all parties to the “dispute” to maintain status quo.
The 2-acre land belongs to Mongshi Prue Chaudhury, and he has registered documents pertaining to the same.
Foyez Mian has been trying to occupy the land since 2000. Mr. Chaudhury filed a law suit against him, and the case is now pending in the high court.
On 29 October 2023, Justice Mamnoon Rahman of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh passed an order extending the status quo granted earlier by the high court.
But Foyez Mian totally disregarded the order and continued building activities. Mr.Chaudhury, the owner of the land, complained to the local government officials about the violation of the court order, but no action has been taken against Foyez Mian.
In this circumstance, the Maischari Land Protection Committee announced boycott of Maischari bazar from 16 – 30 December.
On 14 December, Mongchi Pru Chaudhury and his relatives formed a human chain and held a procession at Maischari bazar to protest the forcible occupation of his land in violation of the high court order.
Speaking at the human chain, Ujjwal Chaudhury, son of Mongchi Pru Chaudhury, said: ‘We want our land back. We respect the law, we abide by the law. We, therefore, want the support of the government administration to get our land back.’
After the program, the OC of Mahalchari police station, Md. Nasir, demanded an explanation from Mongchi Pru Chaudhury as to why they had organized the program. The OC also branded him as a ‘terrorist’.
Mr. Chaudhury protested at being called a terrorist and said that he had no alternative than to protest, since the local administration is not enforcing the law against the land grabber.
