Give us promised lands

The rally was held at Shaheed Zaheda Nagar (formerly Baburabad) in observance of the 8th death anniversary of Shaheed Zaheda, a landless woman killed in clashes with landgrabbers on July 27, 1998. The local people renamed Baburabad village after Zaheda following the incident.

Speakers at the rally reiterated their 8-point demand and vowed to continue agitation for distribution of government lands among the landless.

"I lost my wife but I am happy that the landless people are united to realise their 8- point demnad", Shaheed Zaheda's husband Abdul Hamin said at the rally.

Braving rains, thousands of landless men and women from nine villages in Kaliganj and Debhata upazilas gathered near at the grave of Shaheed Zaheda to establish their right to khas lands and pay tribute to the memory of Zaheda.

On July 27, 1998, several thousand landless people with bamboo and wooden sticks in hands had gathered at Baburabad (now Shaheed Zaheda Nagar) to resist when land grabbers tried to evict landless people from government lands.

There are about 2500 acres of khas lands in the area. This year the program was organised by Debhata-Kaligonj Bhumihin Sangram Committee.

The rally was presided over by its president Wahab Ali Sardar. Satkhira district Landless Eviction Resistance Committee president Abdur Rahim was the chief guest.

They vowed to continue agitation till their 8-point demand is met. They blamed the local administration for its failure to implement the commitment made by the then opposition leader Khaleda Zia.

At a big gathering of landless people at Debishahr foot ball ground in Debhata upazila on August 8, 1998, the then opposition leader Khaleda Zia had said that khas lands in nine villages in the area would be distributed among the landless, the speakers said.

Earlier, the land less people carrying banners and posters brought out a procession in the area.