Dhaka, Feb 14 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladesh Railway (BR) Wednesday retrieved more than 15 bighas of land along the rail tracks from Karwan Bazar to Tejgaon.
The estimated value of the recovered land is more than Tk 100 crore, a railway official, who led the drive, told bdnews24.com.
The same team also bulldozed two two-storey markets and about 50 other semi-concrete tin-roofed shops in the area.
Bangladesh Railway's estate officer Delwar Hossain, backed by about 200 security officials including RAB and troops, led the clean-up drive that continued from 11am to 6:30pm.
The workers bulldozed a two-storey building used for fish trading in Karwan Bazar near the FDC crossing. Another 20 tin-shed shops were razed near the market.
After the eviction at the FDC crossing, about 12 bighas of land were freed from illegal occupants.
About 200 makeshift homes in a nearby slum were also demolished.
Railway officials told bdnews24.com that one Rowshan Ara Begum staked a claim to the piece of land and said the land belonged to her late husband Md Alauddin.
Rowshan Ara built a primary school and constructed about 50 small tin-shed shops on the land. Earlier the authorities could not evict the occupants because of a court order that prevented them taking action.
The authorities then freed another piece of land allegedly grabbed by real estate developer Shahara Housing.
The developer had allegedly earlier claimed ownership of the land with forged documents, railway officials claimed.
The developer took the dispute to court three times but railway officials said the court verdict finally went against the developer.
The eviction drive also pulled down a two-storey building and a number of semi-concrete establishments.
Officials of the real estate company attempted to prevent the eviction but security officials intervened.
Delwar Hossain told bdnews24.com that the total value of the recovered land would be Tk 105 crore at the rate of Tk 35 lakh per katha.
In another eviction drive in Merul-Badda area Rajuk failed to free dozens of residential plots due to a High Court bar.
Legal battles are underway over land ownership.
Rajuk magistrate Emdadud Dastagir told bdnews24.com that there were at least 50 cases pending with the High Court over disputed lands.
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