Benazir purchases land on Saint Martin's Island too

Former inspector general of police (IGP) purchased 1.75 acres of land in the ecologically critical area (ECA) Saint Martin’s Island 10 years ago and also bought another 72 decimals of land in the names of his wife and three daughters on Inani beach adjacent to the Marine Drive in Cox’s Bazar. He was the commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at the time.

To date, no structure has been erected on this land, and the land on Saint Martin’s Island remains cordoned off with a fence of barbed wire and concrete pillars.

Visiting the land which is on the south side of the island, piles of stones were seen on the lower parts of barbed wire fences in several spots and there is a large entrance facing the road. There was a signboard displaying the name of Benazir Ahmed next to the gate several months ago. The signboard is no longer there, local 9 ward member Nazir Ahmed said. He told Prothom Alo that the people of the island know that the former IGP owns this piece of land, which is why nobody crosses it.

Abdul Rahman, who is the convener of BNP’s Saint Martin’s Island union unit and owner of the residential hotel Sandshore, looks after the former IGP’s land. He acknowledged that Benazir purchased 1.75 acres of land from 22 locals in 2014. He told Prothom Alo this large area on the south side of the land remained abandoned and crops did not grow due to the stony soil. Land was sold for 600,000-700,000 taka per 40 decimal of land.

Benazir did not come to Teknaf during the land registration, Abdul Rahman said adding, that he helped the former IGP buy 185 decimals of land and the record (khatiyan) has been done for 175 decimals.

Recently, allegations surfaced against Benazir Ahmed and his family for amassing huge wealth through corruption and irregularities, prompting the Anti-Corruption Commission to open a probe into their wealth acquired from sources beyond knowledge. The agency has so far found 621 bighas of land in Gopalganj and Madaripur, shares in 19 companies, four apartments in Gulshan, saving certificates of 3 million taka, 33 bank accounts and three BO (beneficiary owners’) accounts. These properties and money have been seized and frozen following the court orders.

Meanwhile, the sub-register office in Teknaf said Benazir bought 22 decimals of land in Jinjira mouza from several people including Abdur Rahman from Konarpara, now Bazarpara, of Saint Martin’s Island on 29 May 2014 and the land value was shown 1,550,000 taka in the deeds. On the same day, 44 decimals of land were purchased from Josna Begum Gong at 1,265,000 taka, 35 decimals of land from Mohammad Hossain Gong at 1,00,700 taka, 45 decimals of land from Mohammad Islam Gong at 1,300,000 taka and 29 decimals of land was purchased from Abdul Jalil Gong at 835,000 taka.

Benazir and his wife and three daughters own 72 decimals of land on Inani beach adjacent to the LGED building, which is next to the Marine Drive in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. Local ward 6 member Shamsul Alam of local Jalia Palang union parishad assisted Benazir in purchasing the land. He said the land remains fallen now.

Benazir purchased 40 decimals of land in his wife Zeeshan Mirza’s name in 2009 and the land value was shown 500,000 taka. Later, 10 decimals and seven decimals of land were bought separately at a price of 1,666,000 taka and 370,000 taka respectively

Another 15 decimals of land were also bought for three daughters – Farheen Rishta Binte Benazir, Tahseen Risha Binte Benazir and Zara Zerin Binte Benazir – showing a value of 2,585,000 taka in the land deeds.

According to the government employees rules, no government employee or their family can open a business entity without prior permission of the government. Even prior permission is required to sell or purchase any moveable or immovable assets worth over 250,000 taka. However, none from the Public Security Division of the home ministry could tell whether the former IGP received any prior approval by the way.

In 1999, the forest department declared the country's lone coral reef island St Martin’s Island as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) in a bid to stop selling land and erecting structures randomly, as well as to protect its biodiversity. The environment ministry on 4 January 2021 declared an area of 1,743-sq km adjacent to St Martin’s Island in the Bay of Bengal as a marine protected area in light with the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act.

Regarding this, Teknaf upazila assistant commissioner (land) Syed Shaffat Ali said a gazette was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on the mega plan of Cox’s Bazar. Since then it has required permission of the district administration to sell and buy land in eight mouzas including Saint Martin’s Island of Teknaf upazila. He, however, has no knowledge of whether any permission had been taken before the purchase of Benazir Ahmed’s land.

Prothom Alo could not reach Benazir Ahmed or his family members for comments. He was also unavailable by phone and questions were sent via mobile phone, WhatsApp and email, but no reply was received.