Demolition begins on house vacated by BNP leader Moudud Ahmed

The capital development authority, or RAJUK, has begun demolishing the former Gulshan house of BNP leader Moudud Ahmed.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 June 2017, 04:51 AM
Updated : 25 June 2017, 11:05 AM

Moudud was evicted from the property 18 days ago following an order from the Supreme Court.

RAJUK workers started demolishing the house on Plot-159 of Gulshan Avenue at 9am on Sunday, said Gulshan Police Station SI Khan Nurul Islami.

RAJUK is using bulldozers and other machines to clear the one-storey building, said bdnews24.com’s Triesha Samira, from the spot.

A few trucks are waiting to remove the debris, she said.

The capital development authority took charge of the property on Jun 7 after a decision by the Supreme Court. According to RAJUK ,the land is worth between Tk 3 billion.

RAJUK Executive Magistrate Khandker Alaur Rahman supervised the demolition on Sunday backed by a police posse.

Around 11am a fire service truck also arrived on the spot.

Two hours after RAJUK began its operation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Miah arrived on the spot but did not speak to journalists.

“RAJUK magistrate and workers are on the spot,” Gulshan Police Station OC Aminul Islam told the media. “They are at work. We are present to provide security. They will be able to provide more information about the matter.”

Though RAJUK officials did not speak to the media, BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said the demolition was illegal.

“There is no court order and no notice has been given. They are simply doing it through brute force. It seems that nowadays brute force is stronger than the law.”

The legal battle over the house on Plot-159 began after the Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case in 2013 against Moudud and his brother Manzur Ahmed, accusing them of illegally occupying the property.

It said the BNP leader produced a 'fake' letter of attorney for the property and has been living in the house as a tenant.

The owners left Bangladesh in 1971 after the Liberation War started and the property was listed as abandoned after the owner couple did not return. Moudud moved into the house the same year.

In 2010, the High Court granted a plea by Moudud’s brother who sought to transfer the house’s ownership under his name. The order was separately challenged by RAJUK and the state in 2014.

The Appellate Division then overturned the High Court’s order in 2016.

On Jun 4 this year, the top court scrapped Moudud’s petition for a review of the decision, clearing the way for his eviction.

Two days later, RAJUK evicted him from the house sprawling on 24,480 square feet of land.

Barrister Moudud Ahmed was part of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s legal team during the Agartala Conspiracy case. After Bangladesh’s independence he was given the position of Post Master General.

Moudud later joined forces with Ziaur Rahman and was made a minister and deputy prime minister under his administration.

Following Zia’s death Moudud joined the government of former dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad. During the nine years of Ershad’s reign he served as a minister, deputy prime minister, prime minister and vice president.

After the defeat in the 1996 elections Moudud returned to the BNP and served as the Law Minister of the BNP-Jamaat Alliance government.

At a discussion at the National Press Club’s Independence Forum Moudud expressed grief at not using his time in power to secure the house.

“I have made many mistakes in my life. But one of the worst is that I did not use my powers,” he said.