Jolshiri Abashon

Jolshiri Abashon is a residential area developed by Jolshiri Abashon corporation, a sister corporation of Army Officers Housing Scheme, in Rupganj Upazila, Narayanganj District. It is exclusively built for Bangladesh Army officers. It was refereed by the name Army Housing Scheme in the past.

History

In 2010, Army Housing Scheme had purchased 1400 bigha for the Jolshiri residential project. Quarter Master General of Bangladesh Army was the Chairman for the Scheme. The plan was to purchase up to 13 thousand bigha or 4333 acres in Rupganj Upazila, Narayanganj District.[1] On 24 October 2010, seven thousand residents of Rupganj laid siege to Tanmushury camp, of Bangladesh Army involved with the Army Housing Scheme. The protesters had clashed with law-enforcement personnel. In the ensuing violence, 50 people were injured including 15 who were shot by members of Rapid Action Battalion and Bangladesh Army. Bangladesh Police reported that their personnel did not fire any rounds. The Army officers were airlifted out of the camp. The protesters then burned down the camp and two vehicles of Bangladesh Army.[2]

The protesters accused Bangladesh Army of forcefully purchasing their lands. They accused local Member of Parliament, Golam Dastagir Gazi, of supporting the Army officers buy land at Rupganj for below market rates. Gazi denied the allegations against him and described them as a conspiracy by the opposition party[2] Following the protests, cases were filed against three to four thousand people by Rapid Action Battalion. Members of Bangladesh Police and Armed Police Battalion were stationed there to maintain peace. Male residents of Rupganj went into hiding fearing arrest following the filing of cases. Shops were closed in Rupganj and carried a deserted look. Three villagers were missing after the clash.[3] One protestor, Mostafa Jamal Haider, died of bullet injuries at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Police officers at the scene said Army officers were using government vehicles and resources for the private development project. Inter Services Public Relations died the camps were army camps, despite being manned by uniformed personnel, and called them temporary project site offices. One missing man was discovered in Army custody and was at Combined Military Hospital. He had been taken by the army personnel while they were being airlifted out of the camp.[4]

The Daily Star criticised the presence of Army officers at the local land registry office monitoring sale land. It also questioned the appropriateness of serving army officers managing a private corporation and the legal basis of the development project.[1] On 30 October Bangladesh Army sued 50-60 people over the protests with Rupganj Police Station. Relatives the of missing accused the authorities of shooting the missing and taking away their bodies.[5] Bangladesh Army had established several camps in Rupganj Upazila. They established a presence at the local land registry office and would refuse to let people sell their land to anyone other than the army. The army also offered a price lower than the market rate. The army defended its role in the project by describing it as government approved but Abdul Mannan Khan, State Minister for Housing and Public Works, denied any knowledge of the project.[6] The army recorded all sales at the land office. They prevent registering land, an Eid prayer ground, as Waqf property. The land sold to the project were recorded at a lower value than the selling price to dodge taxes.[7]

On 28 October 2010, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved Army Housing Scheme and asked them to ensure that there is no conflicts with locals. Bangladesh Army also decided to scale down the project in light of the protests[8] Jolshiri Abashon was incorporated on 11 April 2011 under the companies act, 2011. It is lead by a board of directors and Major General Abu Syeed Md. Masud is chairman of the board. It was given the responsibility to develop Jolshiri Abashon which is 2100 acre property in Rupganj Upazila, Narayanganj District which is on the outskirts of Dhaka.[9]

On 4 June 2019, General Aziz Ahmed, chief of Bangladesh Army, inaugurated the construction of buildings for Adamji Public School and College, Bangladesh International School and College, and Jolshiri Public School and College at Jolshiri Abashon.[10]

Environmental impact

The site is situated a designated flood flow zone of Dhaka. According to Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan this area cannot be developed or built upon. Md Nurul Huda, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha said that Army officials did not consult them or seek their approval for the construction of the project. Major General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan was the chairman of the scheme in 2010.[11] Department of Environment fined Jolshiri Abashon for lacking an enviromnment clearance certificate in 2015. It was fined following a hearing at the department headquarters in Dhaka.[12] Chairman of Jolshri Abashon questioned the need detailed area plan in November 2017 in a meeting with real estate agents and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha. The developers questioned the need for wetlands and water retention areas.[13]

References
  1. "Army Housing Scheme". The Daily Star. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  2. "Rupganj flies into fury". The Daily Star. 24 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. "Rupganj males on the run". The Daily Star. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. "Rupganj still tense". The Daily Star. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  5. "Army sues 50-60 for Rupganj violence". The Daily Star. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  6. Munim, Rifat (18 February 2011). "Forced to Sell their Land". thedailystar.net. Star Weekend Magazine. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  7. Roy, Pinaki (25 October 2010). "Army officials kept track of land sale". The Daily Star. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  8. Manik, Julfikar Ali; Liton, Shakhawat (28 October 2010). "Green light from PM". The Daily Star. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  9. "JOLSHIRI ABASHON". jolshiriabashon.com. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  10. "Army chief inaugurates construction work of three educational institutions". New Age. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  11. "Project area includes flood flow zone". archive.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  12. Abdullah, Shaikh. "Government agency fines Bangladesh Army's housing project in Narayanganj for harming environment". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  13. "Dhaka doesn't need wetland!". The Daily Star. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2020.

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