Devotees split over land recovery

Two groups of devotees of Thakur Anukul Chandra were divided over protecting the land, once owned by the spiritual leader.

The groups consider the land, the birth place of Thakur Anukul, as holy place.

Occupation of a piece of land in Pabna by a group of devotees of Thakur Anukul was protested by another group.

Shat Shangha Bangladesh (SSB) claimed that Hemayetpur Shat Shangha Asram (HSA) occupied 15 decimals of disputed land on the Pabna Mental Hospital premises on March 12 while they are fighting a legal battle to recover 62 decimals of the land, the birthplace of Thakur Anukul.

Protesting illegal occupation of the disputed land by Shat Shangha Asram, Shat Shangha Bangladesh formed a human chain on Abdul Hamid road on March 27, blaming the role of the district administration in occupation of the disputed land.

After the rally at a press conference at the Pabna Press Club, Shat Shangha Bangladesh activists said they are trying to recover 62 decimals of land on the hospital premises through a legal battle.

“We don't want to occupy the land illegally, we want to recover it through a legal process along with the support of locals,” said Dhritabata Aditta, Shat Shangha Bangladesh secretary.

Shat Shangha Asram in a statement rejected the allegation of occupying the disputed land.

“Fifteen decimals of land were recorded in the khas khatian and Shat Shangha Asram bought the land for Tk 6.5 lakh,” said its Secretary Jugol Kishore.

Shat Shangha Bangladesh organiser Tapan Das Hory said the district administration played a vital role in processing the official documents in favour of Shat Shangha Asram, although there is a legal battle going on over the land.

“It is not possible to take any decision on the disputed land before the verdict in the pending case is given. But the district administration prepared the official documents so that Shat Shangha Asram gets the piece of land,” Hory alleged. 

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Pabna Maksuda Khanam Siddique said the district administration does not support any faction.

“We did not ask the Shat Shangha Asram authorities to occupy the land. The district administration will take action according to the law,” Maksuda added.