Youth who protested in front of Ganabhaban for justice gets overdue payment for land

Abul Kalam Azad, who made headlines holding a placard in front of the Ganabhaban for justice, has been paid up the entire money for land sale in Narayanganj.

Metro Knitting and Dyeing owner Amal Poddar had entered an agreement with Azad's father Abdul Khaleq for buying a 15-decimal piece of land on which he was setting up a factory.

But Poddar was pushing them to sell two other plots of 19 decimal and 11 decimal, Azad said.

Poddar also allegedly refused to pay the money for the 15-decimal land he bought, saying he would not pay unless the other plots were sold to him.

Azad, a readymade garment worker, stood in front of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official residence on Aug 2 in an attempt to draw her attention.

RAB raided his house the same night and detained his cousin, giving rise to widespread criticism on the social media.

Later, the Narayanganj deputy commissioner contacted Azad at PMO officials' direction and assured him of protecting his land and getting him the rest of the payment.

Azad's father Khaleq formally passed the land's ownership to Poddar on Wednesday after the assurance.

"Amal Poddar deposited Tk 1.95 million for the 15-decimal land sold one and a half years ago at my father's bank account on Tuesday at the mediation by local Jatiya Party MP Liakat Hossain Khoka," Azad toldbdnews24.com.

Amal Poddar is building a factory in this plot, which includes15 decimal land bought from Azad's family. The family claims the dispute is over this piece of land.

Azad's family says Amal Poddar also wants to buy this plot of land owned by them, but they do not want to sell it, which caused the dispute

His uncle Nuruddin claimed they were 'forced' to sell the 15-decimal plot to Poddar after he had started filling up the land with sand for setting up factory.

RAB detained Nuruddin's son 'Sohel' allegedly with contraband Yaba tablets but locals refuted the claim.

Sadipur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Rashid Molla said, "He (Poddar) could have paid them before without harassing them."

But Poddar claimed the whole episode was a result of 'misunderstanding'.

"There won't be any problems now," he said.

MP Hossain said he had spoken to Azad's family and locals. He said he mediated the overdue payment and transferred the ownership of the land.

He also promised the family to look into allegations that Poddar had forcibly occupied land of others in the locality.

In another development, several unidentified men picked up Poddar's nephew Bappi Poddar and his associate 'Solaiman' after Azad made the headlines.

They could not be traced in the last 10 days.