Large swathes of land, belonging to the Bangladesh Railways, amounting to thousands of crores of Taka, have been grabbed by illegal occupiers. Though most of the lands of the railways have been given to different social, educational and religious organisations, with licenses for a single year, the authorities concerned have failed to prevent encroachment. As a result, the railway ministry has not yet taken a decision on leasing its land to some of the organisations that have applied for the lands.
The Rashid Foundation has applied for railway land, in an attempt to expand educational activities, and to meet the requirements for more space for their South Point School and College, at Khilgaon. The foundation has sent a petition to the railway minister and intends to fulfil the terms and conditions of the licence and pay annual fees for the fallow lands belonging to the railway ministry.
In the petition, the foundation pointed out that it would be able to provide more admission facilities to larger numbers of students, if they get the railway land.
“If we get the land, it would allay the apprehensions of the students, who can’t get admission to better schools. At present, around 7,000 students are studying on the Banani, Baridhara and Malibagh campuses. The government should take positive steps, taking into consideration the expectations of the students and guardians. It would help pave the way for modern and quality education, and also ensure the proper use of land,” the petition noted.
The school authorities said that the railway lands at Khilgaon, which have been applied for in the lease application, are in a bit of a low-lying area. Some portion of the land is low-lying, some part is covered by sand, and the rest of the land has been encroached upon by illegal occupiers. At present, the railways are not utilising the land; there is no possibility of the railways using it either. At least 13 acres of land are now under the possession of encroachers. The railways have failed to recover these.
The railway ministry disclosed that after reviewing the application of the South Point School and College, the Railway Land Distribution Committee has sent it to the railway minister with its recommendations. The committee said leases or licences have been issued earlier for using railway lands for the purpose of expanding education in schools, colleges and Madrasas, as well as for resisting the encroachment of railway lands. Hence, the educational institution can be permitted to use the land as per conditions, the committee recommended.
The railways said, “Every year, the licence fee for the land use should be renewed by June 30 for the next year. Provided that if the railway authority bring any amendment, omission or alteration in its land use policy, or if the authority brings any amendment or addition, the licensee is bound to obey it, and the railways will be the absolute owner of the lands. And, if the educational institution of the foundation is shut down or abandoned, the structure of the building will be regarded as railway property and no compensation for the loss will be given.” The conditions also stipulate that the institution will reserve 5 per cent of seats for the children of the employers and employees for call one and keep 50 per cent concession for admission and tuition fees. It will also provide prerogatives for the children of the employers and employees for recruitment to the posts of teachers and employers and employees. The director general (east) of railways, or his/her nominated representatives, can visit the institution at any time. The design of the institution has to be approved by the chief engineer (east) of the railways. In addition, a person nominated by the general manager (east) of the
railways will be the member of the school committee.
The railways have already granted permissions to different organisations, to use its lands through licences. Of them, Bangladesh Diabetic Samity, Chittagong, is using 1 acre, Bangladesh Ondho Kalyan Samity, Chittagong, 0.93 acre, Bangladesh Kidney Foundation, Chittagong, 1.21 acres, Chittagong Officers’ Club, Chittagong, 9.11 katha, Bangladesh Manoshik Kalyan and Educational Samity, Chittagong, 14,000 sq. ft, Chittagong Institute of Management Science, 2.50 acres, Society for Assistance to Hearing Impaired Children, Chittagong, 0.60 acres, IDE Bangladesh, Chittagong, 0.60 acres, William Kerry Academy School, Chittagong, 2.18 acres, Roman Catholic Bishop, Chittagong, 3.844 acres, Islamic Medical Mission, Chittagong, 1 acre, Islamic Medical Mission, Chittagong, 3.78 acres, University of Technology, Chittagong, 1.43 acres, UCEP School Pahartoli, Chittagong, 9,849 sq. ft, UCEP School Jhowtola, Chittagong, 37,800 sq. ft, South Pahartoli Primary School, Chittagong, 0.53 acre, Sarishabari Mahila College, Jamalpur, 3 acres, Railway Public School Pologround, 1.26 acres, No. 1 Jetty Gate Jame Masjid, Chittagong, 0.10 acre, Mirza Abbas Mahila Degree College, Dhaka, 0.75 acre, TPP Colony Junior High School Pahartoli, Chittagong, 0.70 acre, Jhowtola Jame Masjid and Madrasa, Chittagong, 13,047 sq. ft, Pahartoli College, Chittagong, 3 acres, Pahartoli Railway Hospital Colony Primary School, Chittagong, 2,800 sq. ft, Institution of Engineers, Chittagong, 1.13 acres, Chittagong Mahila Samity, 2.6 acres, Shajahanpur Chistiya Mission, Dhaka, 0.165 acres, Railway Hospital Colony Masjid 6,900 sq. ft, Bangladesh Railway Somobay Wrindaan Samity, Chittagong, 1,500 sq. ft, and Wireless Jhowtola Colony Bohumukhi Uchha Biddalay, Pahartoli, Chittagong, 68,000 sq. ft.
The railway minister, advocate Mojibul Haque, said, “We’ve been trying to recover the lands that have been encroached upon.”
-With The Independent input
