The controversial Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Roumari Upazila in Kurigram, Rafiur Rahman, allegedly led a police and Ansar raid on the residence of a senior journalist on Thursday, just a day after his transfer order was issued.
The raid was conducted at around 11am at the Sabujpara village home of Rafiqul Islam Saju, a senior journalist and the Roumari correspondent for the Dainik Manabzamin.
The search occurred the morning after a transfer order, signed by Nusrat Jahan Nisu, Deputy secretary of the Field Administration-2 branch of the Ministry of Land, was issued on Wednesday.
According to the victim Rafiqul, the raid was a direct act of retaliation. Rafiqul stated that on 27 August, the AC land approved a land mutation for a plot in Ambari village under Datbhanga Union.
However, on 31 August, the AC land cancelled the mutation, completely bypassing established rules.
“I called the AC land on Wednesday evening to question whether he had the authority to cancel the mutation in such a manner,” Saju said.
“He became extremely furious during the call. Subsequently, he led a search of my entire house at around 11am on Thursday, falsely claiming that drugs were being stored here.”
Roumari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kawsar Ali declined to comment in detail on the incident. “I have no comment on this matter. The AC land requested police assistance, and I provided it,” he said.
When contacted by phone, AC land Rafiur Rahman defended his actions, stating, “I searched the individual’s house after receiving information regarding drugs, but nothing was found.”
He added, “I did not know whether he was a journalist.”
Meanwhile, local residents have raised a long list of grievances against the embattled AC land.
These include allegations of transferring one person’s land to another due to unpaid bribes, running a bribery racket by appointing a chainman to the post of kanungo, exhibiting hostile behaviour towards the public over administrative courtesies such as salutations, and treating journalists with discourtesy.
Locals also alleged that the AC land frequently harassed people without cause, expelled several journalists from his office when questioned about bribery and middlemen, and regularly slept in the afternoon instead of attending to his duties.
Farmers had also previously protested and thrown brickbats at him after he demanded they bring shallow-engine pumps to fuel stations to collect oil. Additionally, the official is accused of using Ansar members to break and seize illegal dredgers if bribes were not paid.
