Wednesday, 22 January, 2025
The National Housing Authority (NHA) is scheduled to carry out an eviction today at Mirpur Jhalipar Slum in Pallabi, Mirpur, which was allegedly established illegally by Elias Mollah, a former lawmaker of the ousted Bangladesh Awami League (BAL).
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has deployed 22 platoons of male officers and 8 platoons of female officers to assist in the eviction operation under the supervision of a magistrate.
Earlier, the NHA issued eviction notices to the slum's occupants, urging them to vacate the land. In preparation for the operation, illegal power and gas connections to the slum were disconnected, prompting most residents to vacate the area in recent days.
The slum occupies a seven-acre plot of land originally allocated to 300 journalists.
The slum, reportedly a hub for illegal drug and arms trade, has been a growing concern for residents and authorities, who have been criticised for overlooking the escalating criminal activities in the area.
Residents have expressed fears that weapons stolen during the August 5 uprising, including those taken from police stations and security forces, may be hidden within the slum and potentially used for criminal activities throughout Mirpur.
“This slum, illegally occupied by an Awami League leader, has become a hotspot for crime. Responding to public demand and pressure from journalists, who are the rightful owners of this land, we are taking action to recover it and restore justice and peace,” said a senior NHA official.
The eviction operation underscores the government’s efforts to address illegal encroachments on public land and respond to long-standing grievances from the rightful stakeholders. The land was allocated in 2006 to the Dhaka Journalists' Cooperative Society, representing nearly 300 journalists from national media outlets, to build housing for its members. However, after the Awami League assumed power in 2009, Mollah gradually seized the land and developed the slum.
“We have issued notices, conducted face-to-face meetings, and used loudspeakers to request the slum's inhabitants to vacate the area. All legal procedures have been followed to facilitate the eviction of this criminal hotspot,” the NHA official added.
Reports indicate that the slum is controlled by a syndicate led by Ali Mollah, Elias Mollah’s younger brother. His bodyguard, Chokin Harsi, along with accomplices Sabbir and Gazi, allegedly extort between Tk. 3 to 4 lakh monthly from slum residents and shopkeepers.
The area is also a hub for narcotics, with local criminals such as Shamsu from Alokdi village and his associates, Sohel, Faruk, and Anwar, allegedly operating a drug trade involving yaba and cannabis. Shamsu is said to run the operation from small shops used as fronts.
The influence of Mollah’s network is pervasive, with various individuals managing different parts of the illegal operations. Salman Mollah’s driver, Fazlu, controls the Jhali Para road, while Bollo and Masud, staffers of Ali Mollah’s office, oversee the Mandir to Mor area. Rent collection and other criminal activities are reportedly supervised by Jasim Mollah, with Tufan serving as his enforcer.
“This situation is untenable,” lamented Sadrul Hasan, president of Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity Ltd. “Elias Mollah illegally occupied our land under the cover of darkness, constructing a slum on one portion to generate millions in rent and using another section for a cattle farm.”
Despite repeated appeals to the housing authority, little has been done to resolve the issue. “When the land was temporarily vacated, Mollah’s men demolished structures, and law enforcement failed to intervene,” Hasan added.
Journalists who were allotted the land have faced immense hardships. Many mortgaged valuables to secure the land, only to see their dreams shattered. Over the years, some have passed away, and those remaining are ageing and frail, still unable to access their rightful property.
“We are living in despair. Our voices have reached some ears, but no tangible actions have been taken to end our suffering,” said Bashir Mian, a senior journalist and member of the cooperative.
In 2008, the cooperative temporarily secured the land, constructing structures guarded by Ansar personnel. However, Mollah’s associates demolished these structures and even seized the Ansar quarters.
On August 28, the cooperative appealed to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, seeking immediate action to evict the illegal occupants. However, the NHA chairman cited a lack of police support as the primary obstacle.
Locals allege that Mollah ruled the area like a feudal lord for 16 years, seizing control of land, shops, markets, bus stands, and footpaths. Complaints often led to summons at his residence, which functioned as an informal courtroom.
“If his rulings were not followed, he resorted to violence or threatened legal action. Bribes were reportedly exchanged to secure favourable outcomes,” a resident said anonymously.
Mollah is also accused of using cadres to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement, deploying them at Dhaka University to attack protesters and orchestrate assaults in the Mirpur area.
Attempts to reach Elias Mollah for comment were unsuccessful, as he is reportedly in hiding following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 due to the student-led uprising.
Comments
The National Housing Authority (NHA) is scheduled to carry out an eviction today at Mirpur Jhalipar Slum in Pallabi, Mirpur, which was allegedly established illegally by Elias Mollah, a former lawmaker of the ousted Bangladesh Awami League (BAL).
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has deployed 22 platoons of male officers and 8 platoons of female officers to assist in the eviction operation under the supervision of a magistrate.
Earlier, the NHA issued eviction notices to the slum's occupants, urging them to vacate the land. In preparation for the operation, illegal power and gas connections to the slum were disconnected, prompting most residents to vacate the area in recent days.
The slum occupies a seven-acre plot of land originally allocated to 300 journalists.
The slum, reportedly a hub for illegal drug and arms trade, has been a growing concern for residents and authorities, who have been criticised for overlooking the escalating criminal activities in the area.
Residents have expressed fears that weapons stolen during the August 5 uprising, including those taken from police stations and security forces, may be hidden within the slum and potentially used for criminal activities throughout Mirpur.
“This slum, illegally occupied by an Awami League leader, has become a hotspot for crime. Responding to public demand and pressure from journalists, who are the rightful owners of this land, we are taking action to recover it and restore justice and peace,” said a senior NHA official.
The eviction operation underscores the government’s efforts to address illegal encroachments on public land and respond to long-standing grievances from the rightful stakeholders. The land was allocated in 2006 to the Dhaka Journalists' Cooperative Society, representing nearly 300 journalists from national media outlets, to build housing for its members. However, after the Awami League assumed power in 2009, Mollah gradually seized the land and developed the slum.
“We have issued notices, conducted face-to-face meetings, and used loudspeakers to request the slum's inhabitants to vacate the area. All legal procedures have been followed to facilitate the eviction of this criminal hotspot,” the NHA official added.
Reports indicate that the slum is controlled by a syndicate led by Ali Mollah, Elias Mollah’s younger brother. His bodyguard, Chokin Harsi, along with accomplices Sabbir and Gazi, allegedly extort between Tk. 3 to 4 lakh monthly from slum residents and shopkeepers.
The area is also a hub for narcotics, with local criminals such as Shamsu from Alokdi village and his associates, Sohel, Faruk, and Anwar, allegedly operating a drug trade involving yaba and cannabis. Shamsu is said to run the operation from small shops used as fronts.
The influence of Mollah’s network is pervasive, with various individuals managing different parts of the illegal operations. Salman Mollah’s driver, Fazlu, controls the Jhali Para road, while Bollo and Masud, staffers of Ali Mollah’s office, oversee the Mandir to Mor area. Rent collection and other criminal activities are reportedly supervised by Jasim Mollah, with Tufan serving as his enforcer.
“This situation is untenable,” lamented Sadrul Hasan, president of Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity Ltd. “Elias Mollah illegally occupied our land under the cover of darkness, constructing a slum on one portion to generate millions in rent and using another section for a cattle farm.”
Despite repeated appeals to the housing authority, little has been done to resolve the issue. “When the land was temporarily vacated, Mollah’s men demolished structures, and law enforcement failed to intervene,” Hasan added.
Journalists who were allotted the land have faced immense hardships. Many mortgaged valuables to secure the land, only to see their dreams shattered. Over the years, some have passed away, and those remaining are ageing and frail, still unable to access their rightful property.
“We are living in despair. Our voices have reached some ears, but no tangible actions have been taken to end our suffering,” said Bashir Mian, a senior journalist and member of the cooperative.
In 2008, the cooperative temporarily secured the land, constructing structures guarded by Ansar personnel. However, Mollah’s associates demolished these structures and even seized the Ansar quarters.
On August 28, the cooperative appealed to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, seeking immediate action to evict the illegal occupants. However, the NHA chairman cited a lack of police support as the primary obstacle.
Locals allege that Mollah ruled the area like a feudal lord for 16 years, seizing control of land, shops, markets, bus stands, and footpaths. Complaints often led to summons at his residence, which functioned as an informal courtroom.
“If his rulings were not followed, he resorted to violence or threatened legal action. Bribes were reportedly exchanged to secure favourable outcomes,” a resident said anonymously.
Mollah is also accused of using cadres to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement, deploying them at Dhaka University to attack protesters and orchestrate assaults in the Mirpur area.
Attempts to reach Elias Mollah for comment were unsuccessful, as he is reportedly in hiding following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 due to the student-led uprising.
Comments
