C T Online Desk: Sarwar Ship Jewel Mymensingh : Allegations of fraud and irregularities have been raised in the sale of government land worth hundreds of crores of taka in Mymensingh city’s jute warehouse. The land, which was transferred to the name of Adamjee Jute Mill 60 years ago and later included in the government records, has recently been shown for sale claiming private ownership.
According to records, the land bearing CS Khatian No. 1557 and SA Khatian No. 2109 was owned by Revati Mohan Das. In 1963, the land was transferred to Adamjee Jute Mills Limited through an execution conveyance deed (a written document that is legally enforceable).
According to the information of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), this document number-107, the document was executed on September 18, 1963. Its records are currently preserved in the Karachi District Registry Office. According to that document, the registration was completed in 1964 and the cancellation account was prepared later.
The jute mill occupied the land for a long time and paid rent, but after the mill closed, the land remained abandoned. The BRS survey recorded the land as government property (Khatian number 1/1). Almost 60 years later, in 2022, Rabindra Mohan Das, son of Revati Mohan Das, filed a case against the Deputy Commissioner and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation. The court dismissed the case on May 8 this year.
Meanwhile, before the case was dismissed, Rabindra Mohan Das gave Mirash Uddin Sumon a power of attorney (power to prosecute) in September 2024. After that, he revived the case and filed a new cataract case, the initial hearing date of which is August 28.
According to the Mymensingh Sadar Sub-Registry Office, while the case was ongoing, a deed of sale of 84 percent of the land was executed on June 6 this year for just Tk 550,000. The name of Rabindra Mohan Das was used as the donor and Senior Assistant Judge Pawan Chandra Barman signed on his behalf. However, local sources say that the current market value of the land is hundreds of crores of Tk.
Local land expert Mujibur Rahman Mintu expressed surprise, saying, “How could land that was legally sold to a government agency 60 years ago and recorded in government records be sold back to private ownership?” He also questioned whether the execution of the deed while the case was ongoing was legal.
A bench assistant of the Mymensingh District Judge’s Court, who did not want to be named, said that an organized gang is trying to grab government property using loopholes in the law. They are claiming to be heirs under the guise of a case, and then creating a new syndicate with a power of attorney. They are changing hands by executing the latest documents. The gang has grabbed government and private land worth thousands of crores of taka in the last few years.
According to Shahjahan Kabir Saju, senior lawyer of the Judge’s Court, the matter needs to be investigated in depth. If the disputed documents are not immediately canceled and those responsible are not identified and punished, the trend of looting state property will increase.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Azim Uddin said, “We are investigating this matter. We have found some evidence of negligence. If the error is proven completely, arrangements will be made to cancel the document.”
Sadar Upazila Sub-Registrar Zahid Hasan said that an order signed by Sadar Court Senior Assistant Judge Pawan Chandra Barman ordered the registration of the land. The letter empowered and instructed the court’s office assistant Shahin Alam to sign the document with the Sadar Upazila Sub-Registrar. He said, “Since this was a court order, I had nothing to do.” Responding to a question about how land worth hundreds of crores of taka was shown as worth five and a half lakh taka, he said that if the land is registered under the court’s order, there is no obligation to follow the mouza rate.
Miras Uddin Suman was appointed as the plaintiff in the power of attorney document. He is currently handling the case. When asked how the government property changed hands while the case was ongoing, he hung up the phone, saying he was busy.
The lawyer for the case, ATM Mahbubul Alam, told Samakal, “I have handled many cases. But I don’t remember which case this is at the moment. And if the document is a court order, then the government can appeal. If there is a government interest, the document will be canceled.”
Deputy Commissioner Mufidul Alam said that an investigation is underway. Action will be taken after receiving the report.
BJMC Chief Operating Officer Nasimul Islam said that the land belongs to Jute Mills Corporation. They have come to know about the fraud. Discussions are underway to take necessary steps.
