Netrokona traders protest land classification error in highway expansion project
Photo Collected
Protesters gathered outside the Netrokona Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday to demonstrate against the categorization of land in Madanpur Bazar as residential rather than commercial for the purpose of acquisition compensation. The demonstration, which lasted an hour, saw dozens of affected landowners and business owners demanding a reclassification of their properties, arguing that the current assessment significantly undervalues their assets.
The land acquisition is part of an ongoing project to widen the 41-kilometer Netrokona-Kendua-Atharabari-Ishwarganj highway. The project, which covers 26 kilometers within Netrokona district, involves the acquisition of approximately 92 acres of land with a total budget of roughly 250 crore BDT. Protesters allege that despite the site being a long-standing commercial hub—hosting hundreds of permanent shops, warehouses, rice mills, and weekly cattle markets—the government has categorized the 820-meter stretch of the bazaar as residential land.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Affected business owners, including local political leader Taj Uddin Faras, stated that the market value of the bazaar land is significantly higher than that of standard residential property. According to the protesters, while the market rate for the land is approximately 1.5 to 2 million BDT per decimal, government calculations have set the compensation at just 13,000 BDT per decimal. They emphasized that owners have been paying higher taxes and land development fees for years due to the commercial status of their property, a fact they claim was ignored by land acquisition officials.
Local businessman Sumon Faras highlighted that the area’s commercial importance is rooted in its historical significance, particularly its proximity to the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sultan Kamar Uddin Rumi (RA), which attracts a constant influx of visitors. He noted that official 1982 survey records explicitly list these plots as commercial, making the current classification inconsistent with both historical data and local reality. The protesters submitted a formal memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner after previous written complaints filed over the past year failed to yield a resolution.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Responding to the grievances, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) clarified that while they manage the infrastructure project, the land acquisition process is handled exclusively by the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Executive Engineer Mahmud Alnur Salehin noted that the highway construction was completed two and a half years ago and that any disputes regarding compensation fall under the jurisdiction of the district administration.
Netrokona Deputy Commissioner Khandaker Mushfiqur Rahman stated that he has tasked the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) with conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. He assured that if an inquiry reveals that the land was intentionally miscategorized to lower compensation payouts, those responsible will face legal action.
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