Dhaka: The nursery business has been going on for 5 years by illegally occupying the place in front of Rayer Bazar Intellectual Memorial in the capital. In addition to more than 40 nurseries, there are rickshaw garages. On the one hand, the sanctity of the Liberation War Memorial is being ruined. On the other hand, illegally occupied nursery owners have to pay 8 to 10 thousand takas per month. It is calculated that in the last 5 years this extortion trade has been around Tk. three crore. However, no authority is taking responsibility in this regard.
A businessman, who did not want to be named, said: The quantity of land occupied by each shop is 4 decimal. The business is run by paying toll to the councillor's office, various political parties and people in the administration. You have to pay 8 to 10 thousand taka per month from each nursery. Moreover, on different days and occasions, extra money has to be paid. Shah Alam, the owner of Banful Nursery, controls 18 nursery shops and rickshaw garages on the south side of the main gate of Rayer Bazar Memorial. On the other hand, Masum Billah, owner of Mother Doa Nursery, controls more than 20 shops on the north side.
Boalmari Nursery owner Rupon Mia said his nursery has more than 400 flowering fruit trees. On an average, he sells one and a half to two lakh taka a month. Flowering plants are sold more from October to January. Fruit trees are sold more from April to July. Asked how he was doing business illegally, he said it was coordinated by Shah Alam. They all have to pay a monthly rent to Shah Alam at the end of the month. Moreover, you have to pay extra on any occasion or day. He does not know to whom Shah Alam gives that money.
Rickshaw garage owner Ainul Islam said the place where the rickshaw garage used to be had a nursery. He left the nursery and brought it to his garage. He has 60 rickshaws in his garage. Earlier his garage was in Mohammadpur. I had to pay 40,000 taka per month. He also owns 4 decimal of the land. Asked how he got the place and how much money he had to pay per month, he said, "Shah Alam Mia coordinates here." All the traders here have to pay some money every month. And many get a share of that money. Moreover, you have to pay extra at different times. However, Ainul has no problem with that because if he wanted to rent a garage somewhere else, he would have to pay double.
When Shah Alam was asked about the withdrawal of money and extortion, he told Barta24.com that some money was taken and given to some people so that they would not have any problem. Moreover, if there is any event or day, they pay the extra dues. He did not agree to say how much money he had to pay per month and to whom.
It is known that Shah Alam came to Dhaka from Mehendiganj in Barisal in 1995 for work. Although he spent a lot of time in the initial stage struggling, he started a nursery business by occupying government positions in different places. At present there are several nurseries and own houses in Dhaka. However, denying these issues, Shah Alam said, 'He is in a good position doing business now, he has two nurseries. However, it is not right to have his own house. His brothers have a house. '
On the other hand, Masum Billah, owner of Mother Doa Nursery, controls more than 20 shops on the north side of the Memorial. "It is true that we are doing business on government land, but we are doing legitimate business," he said. I'm doing business like everyone else. There are about 40 shops here. Everyone respects me enough. I go ahead with everyone's grief. There is no monthly subscription. When there is a game, event, if we ask for money, we give it to everyone. Asked how much money he has to pay on an average, he said, it is 2 to 3 thousand per month, in some months 5 to 6 thousand taka.
Sheikh Mohammad Hossain (Khokon), Councilor, Ward 34, Dhaka North City Corporation, said, “It is a sacred place. I do not take any money from anywhere. The Water Development Board and the City Corporation evicted the site jointly. The police can take and certain people can take, which you can find out when you go in front of the Memorial. The councillor does not take these. Shah Alam collects money which I know. Let there be a garden in front of the Memorial to beautify everything. That will be surrounded by iron protective. Where there will be no market, there will be no nursery. These will be evicted. '
Mohammadpur police station in charge (OC) Abdul Latif told Barta24.com, "I have been seeing nurseries in front of the Memorial for a long time. We didn't put anyone in those places. I personally don't have any money from there. If any police member of Mohammadpur police station is involved in extortion, we will investigate and take action. If the city corporation wants cooperation in the eviction campaign, I will do it. '
Motakabbir Ahmed, regional executive officer of DNCC (Karwan Bazar) Zone-5, told Barta24.com that it was the responsibility of the City Corporation to look after the Memorial. The Ministry of Public Works does some work. We will evict it. I will clean it in silence and keep it sacred. I have carried out eviction campaigns before, but later it was occupied. This time we will do it in a good way so that there is no more illegal occupation. '
Selim Reza, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dhaka North City Corporation, told Barta24.com, “Every shopkeeper pays ‘monthly’ every month. We will take steps to evict all. We will undertake projects to protect and beautify the sanctuary so that the memory of the liberation war has the status of an intertwined historical place.