"Land grabbers file a case if called out,” recently said the mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Atiqul Islam. This remark made by the mayor himself not only reveals the grim picture of illegal land grabbing in Dhaka city, but also his helplessness regarding the issue.
While inaugurating the tree plantation event in the area adjacent to the Martyred Intellectual graveyard (Jalladkhana Boddhovumi) on 26 March, the mayor said, "The land grabbers manage everything with money. We have to speak up against them.” One thousand trees have been planted on the abandoned land opposite the Jalladkhana Boddhovumi memorial to build a modern and green children-friendly public area in collaboration with the private organisation Shakti Foundation and Metlife Foundation. Shakti Foundation will maintain the Jalladkhana memorial and its adjoining public area for the next two years.
Such initiatives are much appreciated at the time when Dhaka city lacks adequate greenery and playgrounds are being occupied one after another. At the same time, we must remind that scattered green projects will bring no benefits. Entire Dhaka city should be brought under planned greening programmes. According to urban experts, an ideal city should have 22 per cent greenery whereas Dhaka city has only eight and a half per cent.
The mayor said, "We must speak against the land grabbers." We must speak. But those who 'manage' everything with money, speaking out is not enough. Effective steps should be taken immediately to recover the lands, canals, lakes and parks already occupied by land grabbers. At the same time, they should be guarded so that any public or private land cannot be occupied again.
The mayor would surely admit that land grabbers occupy lands in collusion with government officials. Not only employees of government office, they also manage local influential people. Such meddling among different quarters should be curtailed to prevent the land grabbers.
According to the law, if a person illegally occupies the land or establishment of a government or local authority, the Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) can file a case against that person at the police station. If the accused person is found guilty in the case, he will be sentenced two years in jail or with a fine of up to Tk 200,000 or with both. Instead of being served punishment, land grabbers are suing people who speak out against them.
The mayor said to have necessary playgrounds, parks and open spaces for children. Balurmath in Mirpur and Tetultala playground in Kalabagan were saved due to the intervention of the prime minister. This is a good instance. But many such fields and parks have been occupied in Dhaka city. Many fields and lakes are losing their beauty due to commercial use. Recently Prothom Alo published a report on Dhanmondi Lake.
Mayor Atiq compared the land grabbers to the Pakistani occupational force. Comparison is not enough. Legal action should be taken against each of them to recover the occupied land. All government and autonomous institutions including the city corporation should also come forward to leave a better place for our children.