Ghazaria (Munshiganj): Around 47 percent of the road and township land next to the mosque has been occupied – News
An influential gang has been accused of building a mosque in a Hindu neighborhood to occupy the road and township land along the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Ghazaria of Munshiganj. Locals complain that by constructing a mosque in front of it, the gang has occupied about 47 percent of the road and township land, the estimated market value of which is around five and a half crore taka.
Going to the small Baluakandi area of the Ghazaria section of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, it can be seen that a road has been constructed and filled with sand on both sides of the highway. A small mosque named Baluakandi Al Aqsa Mosque has been built at one end. Locals complain that the mosque has been forcibly occupied by private property and built on roads and townships even though no one has written down the location. They believe that the mosque has been built with the plan that no one will come to evict the illegal construction of this place if there is a mosque in front of it even though it is a Hindu dominated area. They said, there is a local influential person behind it. Nivas Das, a resident of the southern side of the mosque, said that the mosque was built near his house a few days ago. About 35 families live in this area of the village, most of which are followers of Sanatan religion. The mosque has a highway on one side, a Hindu family on two sides and a Muslim family on one side.
Sheikh Mohammad Wali Ullah, a local resident, said that this semi-finished mosque has been built on about 3 percent of the land. Among them, they occupy about 1 percent. But they did not endow the land in the name of the mosque but only verbally allowed the construction of the mosque. But there are also roads and public roads. There is a road in front of the mosque with sand filling on both sides. I heard that a person named Moniruzzaman Monir built the road and filled it with sand.
Maran Chandra Sheel, a local resident said, earlier there was a big canal with an estimated width of 172 feet. Most of the canal is now filled up. We don’t know who is filling, but I heard that a CNG filling station will be built here after filling the canal.
Shamim, a local resident, said that other people’s land has been occupied to build a mosque. Beside the mosque, some areas of roads and public roads have also been occupied. Hope the road and town will take effective steps to save their place. Regarding the issue, Hafez Maulana Al Amin said that the mosque should be built in a clean place. That is why the place has to be waqf.
When the accused Moniruzzaman Monir was asked about the matter, he said, ‘I have a plot behind the road and town canal where I do business by placing bricks. Last year I made a road to travel there and this year I filled some parts on both sides of the road. I am not occupying the space but using it temporarily. If you say roads and towns, I will take my sand. I wanted to lease this place. That’s why I applied to Roads and Town Narayanganj Division Office last year. But till now they have not given me the lease. And I am not aware of the allegations of building a mosque by occupying other people’s land. I do not know who built the mosque. When asked about the matter, Shahana Ferdous, Executive Engineer of Narayanganj Road Division said, I have come to know about the matter. I have sent a person to the spot on the ground and if he gives a report I will take action accordingly. No one can encroach on roads and townships, if anyone has encroached we will do whatever it takes to clear the encroachment.
