Bashundhara, police land 'understanding'

Police officers get a same-size land from Bashundhara near its 72-bigha land in Khilkhet that the government acquired for the police personnel but the real estate giant grabbed it.

Dhaka, Apr 7 (bdnews24.com) - Police officers have entered into an understanding with real estate developer Bashundhara on exchange of their around 24 acres of land.

Under the agreement signed on Thursday, Police Officers' Multipurpose Cooperatives Association will receive a same-size land from Bashundhara near its original 72 bighas (23.76 acres) of land in Khilkhet, which the government acquired for the police officers but was grabbed by the real estate giant.

Association president A K M Shahidul Islam, also additional inspector general of police, presided over the signing ceremony held at the police headquarters.

Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan (Shah Alam) and group flagship East West Property Development Ltd's managing director represented Bashundhara at the signing of the understanding.

The association was represented by its general secretary Shahabuddin Koreshi [Dhaka Metropolitan Police joint commissioner], organising secretary Hasanul Haider [Armed Police Battalion commander] and office secretary Gazi Mozammel Haque [DMP deputy commissioner].

Mozammel told bdnews24.com that the government acquired the land for police officers' association in 2008.

"The association discovered that the land was already grabbed by Bashundhara when it went to take it over. They [Bashundhara] sold it out to general people. They also filed lawsuit over the land, which is pending with the high court."

He said the police association agreed to exchange the land considering many aspects, including its handover to the buyers.

Shahabuddin told bdnews24.com that a full-fledged agreement would follow the understanding. "Proceedings of the suit will remain suspended until that time."

Bashundhara media adviser Md Abu Tayeb said the understanding was signed to resolve the dispute between the police association and Bashundhara.

East West Media Group chairman Mostafa Kamal Mohiuddin and editors of Bashundhara-owned media outlets were present at the signing ceremony. Those present on the occasion included Kaler Kantha editor Abed Khan, Daily Sun editor Syed Anwar Hossain, Banglanews24.com chief editor Alamgir Hossain and Bangladesh Protidin managing editor Nayeem Nizam.

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