The slum that burned down in Chattogram’s Chaktai was built ‘illegally’, officials say

The Bhera Colony slum, which was gutted in a fire that killed eight on Sunday, was built illegally on Khas land, says the Chattogram district administration.

About 20 years ago a number of shanties were built on the fallow government-owned land beside the Rajakhali canal of the Karnaphuli River and eventually turned into a large slum, say police, the local administration and local residents.

A group of at least five people rented single or two-roomed shanties to people from lower income groups, ranging in price between Tk 700 to Tk 1,800, sources say.

Middlemen known as the ‘Kerani’ or ‘Majhi’ collected the rent from the tenants.

The slum has been developed on government-owned Khas land, said Baklia Police Station Chief Pranab Kumar Chowdhury after the blaze on Sunday morning. But he did not discuss who built it.

The slum could not be removed due to a ban from the High Court, said officials from the Chattogram district administration.

Farid Saudagar from Shikalbaha in West Patiya, Sattar Ahmed, Abu Tyeb Chowdhury from Kusumpura Union in Patiya, Farid Chairman, Nurul Amin Haji and Jibon collect rent from different parts of the slum, say residents.

Each of the sections they control us known as a ‘colony’ under their names.

They receive support from Baxirhat Ward 35 Jubo League Vice President Md Akhter aka Koshai Akhter and Karim, said a leader of the ward wing the Awami League on condition of anonymity. 

The blaze gutted 50 shanties owned by Farid Saudagar. Farid owns a tea stall at Chaktai.

“I bought the land 20 years ago. There are others like me who bought the Khas lands beside the shoal area,” Farid told bdnews24.com, claiming to be the owners of those shanties and land.

“The High Court has given the verdict in our favour. We’re the owners of these lands,” he said when asked if he has constructed the shanties illegally on a Khas land.

He also claimed he was not affiliated with any political party.

Sagir Member, a resident of Kusumpura Union in Patiya looks after the shanties owned by Farid Chairman and Jibon. He is known as ‘Sagir Kerani’ to the people in the Bhera Colony slum.

Sagir told bdnews24.com he collects the rent on behalf of two owners who live abroad.

They are the real owners and the land does not belong to the government at all, he claimed.

Both Farid Saudagar and Sattar are members of the Awami League, Sagir claimed.

Koshai Akhter and Karim have not made any statement regarding the claims.

The Rajakhali Canal is next to the northern part of Marine Drive Road, which is situated on the north bank of the Karnaphuli River. The Bhera Colony slum was located on the banks of the canal and took its name from the nearby Chaktai Bhera Market.

At least 200 of the 500 shanties in the slum were gutted in the fire on Sunday morning.

Land encroachers grabbed the shoal area land about 20 years ago and constructed the shanties. There was an illegal power connection in the slum but no gas or water supply.

They the rooms and shanties were built on Khas land, Sabrina Afrin Mostafa, assistant commissioner (land) in charge of Chattogram Central Circle told bdnews24.com. 

“At present, we cannot evict the illegal structures due to the High Court order,” she said.

The illegal structures will be evicted once the legal issues are settled, said Sabrina Afrin.

Lal Miah, Hosne Ara Begum, Md Akbar and other residents of the slum said they heard about evictions about 15 days ago, adding that the room owners’ aides had assured them that no eviction is going to happen. 

The district administration has started a drive to evict illegal structures beside the Karnaphuli River following a High Court order. It has already finished the first phase of evictions from Sadarghat to Barik Building.

The next phase of evictions is likely to start at Patenga and Chaktai.