Eviction Drive on Bangladesh Railway Land in Sitakunda Halted After Resistance, 300 Families Given One Month.

Md. Omar Faruk Special Correspondent. An eviction drive on railway-owned land in the Joramatal area of Sitakunda was suspended on Wednesday following strong resistance from local residents. Authorities later gave around 300 families one month to remove their houses and other structures from the railway property. The eviction operation began at around 10:00am on Wednesday (September 23), when railway land officials and representatives of the concerned departments arrived at the Joramatal area. Local residents, including women, men and children, protested against the eviction and formed a resistance. Two excavators and other equipment had also been brought to the site for the eviction operation. Faced with resistance from the residents, the authorities suspended the operation at around 12:30pm. Following discussions with the residents, they were reportedly given one month to remove their structures on their own, said local social worker Iftekhar Ahmed Jewel. He said the authorities suspended the eviction drive after facing opposition from local residents. Following discussions, the residents were given one month to vacate the railway land. He added that efforts would be made to discuss the issue of rehabilitation with the railway authorities and the concerned industrial establishment before any further eviction. Local resident Abu Naser said the families had been living in the area with their families for a long time. According to the residents, many of them had taken shelter there after losing their homes to river erosion at different times. They said they would not accept eviction without a proper rehabilitation arrangement. Meanwhile, local residents alleged that the eviction initiative was aimed at clearing the railway land for use by an industrial establishment, KYCR. However, no immediate comment was available from the railway authorities regarding the allegation. The eviction drive was led by Bangladesh Railway's Chattogram Senior Assistant Secretary and Divisional Estate Officer, Md. Khorshed Alam Chowdhury. During the operation, a section of local residents chanted various slogans directed at him. Local Labour Party leader Md. Robiul and several others alleged that a group was attempting to occupy the railway land and hand it over to an industrial establishment. The allegation has created anger and dissatisfaction among local residents. According to local sources, around five acres of railway land are located on the western side of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, stretching from railway pillar numbers 22/4 to 22/7. The area once housed a railway store or depot. Although most of the old structures have disappeared, a warehouse still remains there. Several families have been living in the area for a long time. The residents claim that they and their ancestors have been living there for nearly a century and that they do not have permanent homesteads elsewhere. They are demanding rehabilitation before any eviction, saying that removing them without providing alternative housing would leave hundreds of families severely affected.