Evicted Dinajpur deed writers want resettlement

Central leaders of Bangladesh Dalil Lekhak Samity (deed writers association) have threatened to launch a countryside strike if the evicted deed writers of Nawabganj upazila under Dinajpur district are not resettled at the prior place.

Md Mostafizur Rahman Mollik, joint general secretary of the association, declared the programme on Monday at a rally at Nawabganj upazila nirbahi officer's (UNO) office complex where deed writers from 26 upazilas of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh joined.

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"The Nawabganj upazila administration evicted the deed writers and demolished their sheds inside the UNO office complex on March 27 this year. There are 5,000 deed writers in 485 upazilas of the country, but the incident in Nawabganj upazila is unusual," he said. 

"The eviction without prior notice badly hampered deed writings in the upazila, much to the sufferings of people willing to sell or buy lands. The government is also deprived of revenue earning," said Ansar Ali, president of Nawabganj upazila deed writers association.

"I have been engaged in deed writing here since 1977 but never faced such a problem before," said Anisur Rahman, 65.

Eighty five deed writers in Nawabganj upazila are passing bad days as their earning fell due to the eviction, said Mizanur Rahman, general secretary of upazila deed writers' association.

"Nawabganj UNO Israil Hossain demanded Tk 500 monthly from each deed writer. As they declined to meet the demand, the UNO evicted them from there and also threatened to harass," he alleged.

On May 4 this year, Mizanur Rahman filed a writ with the High Court and the court on July 15 ordered the law ministry to form a probe team and submit report as early as possible.

Foysal Atique Bin Kader, senior assistant secretary of the law ministry, visited Nawabganj upazila on Monday, but he declined to make any comment to newsmen regarding the matter.

Sankar Chandra Barman, Nawabganj upazila sub registrar, also declined to make any comment in this regard.

Contacted, Nawabganj UNO Israil Hossain said the eviction was lawful.