Abdur Razzak, Senior Reporter
A delegation from the Bangladesh Minority Watch (BMDW) conducted an on-site investigation on September 16, 2023, into the alleged land grabbing of 'Debottor' (dedicated to a deity) property.
Upon reviewing the documents, it was found that 11.56 decimals of land in Itua Mouza, Kaharol, Dinajpur, are Debottor property. This land is recorded in CS Khatian No. 74, SA Khatian No. 82, and RS Survey as Debottor, under JL No. 150, and seven SA plots (Nos. 107, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, and 131). The CS record lists the Sebayet (custodian) as Mohan Chand Barman, on behalf of the Sri Sri Kalimata Thakuranini temple and the local Hindu community. The SA record also lists the Sebayet as Budharu Barman, Oidi Barman, and Nem Barman.
The on-site investigation revealed that the former Sebeyats of the temple had sold the property to various individuals through registered deeds. Subsequently, 44 people have mutated the land in their names based on these deeds.
Yogesh Chandra Roy, the current temple president, filed a petition with the Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), Md. Maidul Islam, requesting the cancellation of 16 mutations. The petition named 10 individuals, including Md. Enamul Haque, Md. Nazim Uddin, and Habibor Rahman, along with 34 other defendants.
On June 20, 2023, the Assistant Commissioner (Land) held a hearing with both parties present. At the hearing, the Sebeyats were found to have sold the land through various registered deeds. The Assistant Commissioner then advised the plaintiff to approach the High Court to have the deeds nullified and rejected the petition.
When the investigation team questioned two of the defendants, Abbas Ali and Israful, about their possession of the land, they stated that they had purchased it from the previous Sebeyats. They showed some documents, which indicated that former Sebeyats—Nem Barman, Oidi Barman, and Budharu Barman—had sold the Debottor property through registered deeds.
The local Hindu community is demanding the return of the Debottor property. Currently, they only have possession of 10-12 decimals of the 11.56 decimals of land, on which they have established a Kali temple and hold worship services.
The president of BMDW has strongly condemned this incident and demanded the forceful recovery of the Debottor property.
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