The district administration has recovered 65 decimals of land owned by the Bangladesh Tea Board in Bayazid Bostami, Chittagong, from Modern Steel Mills Limited, which had illegally occupied the property for years.
Executive Magistrate Hussain Mohammed led the eviction on Thursday, with officials from the district administration, supported by police and army personnel, clearing the government property.
According to Tea Board sources, the plot near Bayazid Bostami Shrine had been leased to Modern Steel Mills Limited since 2008. According to the last agreement in 2018, the lease expired on 31 December, 2022.
Despite multiple notices from the tea board to vacate the land for staff housing construction, the company ignored the directives and allegedly used political influence to occupy the property illegally for an extended period.
Officials said the company had not paid Tk2.24 crore in rent over the past four years.
When asked to vacate, Modern Steel Mills allegedly threatened tea board officials with lawsuits and other forms of intimidation.
Even after the High Court, on 1 June, 2025, ordered the company to pay the outstanding dues within a month, the firm ignored the ruling and kept occupying the property.
The district administration stepped in to protect the government land through the eviction operation.
Modern Steel Mills is also facing serious allegations of embezzlement involving nearly Tk2,700 crore from government banks and institutions. Of this, Tk1,358 crore is due to Sonali Bank and Tk1,300 crore to Janata Bank.
Multiple cases are ongoing in financial courts to recover the dues. The company also has unpaid bills amounting to Tk26.08 crore with the Power Development Board and Tk1.21 crore with Power Grid Bangladesh.
