Several people, including police personnel and locals, were injured today during a clash over an eviction drive in the Bastuhara Colony area of Khulna city's Mujgunni.
According to locals, the eviction was scheduled to begin at 9:00am to hand over possession of plots to their rightful owners. However, resistance from nearly 200 families currently residing on the two-acre colony land delayed the drive.
The situation escalated around 10:00am when police baton-charged residents attempting to block the eviction. In retaliation, the protesters threw brickbats, forcing law enforcers to retreat temporarily. Police later fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, prompting residents to flee. During the clash, agitated locals vandalised a bulldozer brought for the drive.
Police said the eviction was carried out on the instructions of a magistrate but was suspended after the violence. "We are following court orders. But the drive has been halted temporarily due to the situation," said Mir Atahar Ali, officer-in-charge of Khalishpur Police Station. He also added, "Six police members were injured."
The land in question has been at the centre of disputes for decades. In 1987, the government's housing authority sold the land plots in Mujgunni through a lottery to 42 allottees. Despite purchasing the plots, the owners are yet to receive possession.
On the other hand, nearly 200 low-income families, many identifying as displaced, have been living in the Bastuhara Colony for years. They argue that any eviction without rehabilitation would render them homeless. "We have nowhere else to go. The government must ensure rehabilitation before eviction," said Nazrin Begum, one of the residents.
The injured include both police and residents, though exact numbers could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report. Nazmul Karim, a local resident, said several of the wounded were taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital for treatment.
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