Nilphamari Correspondent :
A vast area of land acquired by the Water Development Board (WDB) in Nilphamari has long been under illegal occupation by local land grabbers. As a result, the Buritista Irrigation and Reservoir Development Project has been brought to a standstill, putting a government initiative worth crores of taka at serious risk.
?According to WDB sources, a total of 1,217.61 acres (492.50 hectares) of land in the Buritista area was acquired during the 1966-67 fiscal year under the Nilphamari Water Development Board. The land is still officially recorded under WDB ownership in government records. However, over the years, a significant portion of it has fallen into the hands of influential local individuals.
?Records show that on February 27, 2022, the WDB launched an initiative to recover 667 acres of occupied land. But resistance from the occupiers prevented the eviction drive from being completed. The occupied areas are now being used for housing, shops, and agriculture. Despite several eviction attempts, no lasting solution has been achieved.
?A WDB official, requesting anonymity, said, “The occupiers are very influential. Without administrative assistance, it is impossible to recover the land. The delay in clearing the land is holding up the project and wasting public funds.” Meanwhile, the president of the Buritista Bachao Krishak Samity (Save Buritista Farmers’ Association), Badol Mia Swapon, defended their occupation, saying, “Around 400 to 500 families cultivate 3 to 10 bighas each for their livelihood. If the wetland project starts, we will lose our only source of income and become destitute.” Local residents, however, expressed frustration, saying, “The government is spending crores on river and canal development, but work cannot progress due to these land grabbers. If the administration takes it seriously, the land could be freed in a single day.”
Md. Atikur Rahman, Executive Engineer of the Nilphamari Water Development Board, said,
“Under the Buritista Re-excavation, Rehabilitation, and Expansion Project, the area was leased to Tusuka Resource Ltd. for fish farming from 2010 to 2020. Later, in 2022, the project was divided into five packages and work orders were issued to three contractors. But within days of starting, organized land grabbers attacked the site, injuring several workers and setting fire to equipment and labor camps.”
He added that a case has been filed, which is now under trial, and that WDB has contacted senior authorities, police, and the district administration to recover the land.”We hope necessary action will be taken soon,” he said.
Nilphamari Superintendent of Police A.F.M. Tariq Hossain Khan confirmed the illegal occupation, saying, “Some individuals have unlawfully occupied government land belonging to the Water Development Board in Buritista. If the district administration requests police support, we are ready to assist in conducting an eviction drive.” He further said that legal action will be taken against the encroachers. Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Nayiruzzaman said, “The district administration will take all necessary steps to recover the WDB land and ensure smooth implementation of the development project.”
