The chairman of Sadar Union Parishad in Kishorganj Upazila of Nilphamari has been accused of occupying government-owned khas land and a government pond worth an estimated Tk15 crore to build a private hotel, shops, an office, a mini park and a pigeon farm.
The allegations against Chairman Hossain Shahid Suhrawardy, popularly known as “Grenade Babu”, also include using government market development funds to improve privately used structures. Following the complaints, the Nilphamari district administration formed a five-member investigation committee, which has already inspected the site.
According to information gathered from local residents, traders, the land office, the union parishad and administrative sources, the chairman has allegedly kept control of government property adjacent to the local market for years and derived financial benefits from it.
Locals claim the government has lost both valuable public assets and regular revenue, while the filling of a government pond has created persistent waterlogging across the market area, including the upazila’s traditional cattle market.
Records from the Union Land Office show that Plot No 67 under Khas Khatian No 1 in Kishoreganj Main Market comprises 2.63 acres of government land. According to the allegations, the chairman has occupied 15 decimals of roadside land and another 25 decimals of a government pond, amounting to a total of 40 decimals. Local land-related sources estimate the current market value of the occupied land at around Tk15 crore.
A visit to the site found two shops and a restaurant named “Bandhu Hotel” built on government land beside the main road near the cattle market. Local residents alleged that the properties generate monthly rent of between Tk50,000 and Tk60,000, which is collected privately rather than deposited into the government treasury.
A substantial portion of the government pond has also been filled in, where a private meeting room, a mini park and a pigeon farm have been constructed. Local residents alleged that these facilities are used exclusively for personal purposes.
Separate allegations have also been raised over the construction of four shops on Union Parishad land.
Local traders alleged that Tk2,50,000 was collected as a security deposit for each shop, totalling Tk10 lakh. They further claimed that monthly rent of Tk2,000 is collected from each shop, but the money has not been deposited into the Union Parishad’s official account.
Union Parishad Secretary Harunur Rashid said he had no record showing that rent from the shops had been deposited into the council’s official fund.
The investigation also found that three development projects worth Tk5,57,800 were approved during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years for earth filling at the Kishoreganj cattle market and construction of a guide wall along the pond.
Local residents alleged that, instead of improving the market, the funds were used to develop the pond embankment, the chairman’s office, the park and surrounding infrastructure under his control, amounting to misuse of public money.
Traders said the government pond had previously served as the main drainage outlet for the market. After it was partially filled and built upon, the drainage system became blocked, causing even light rainfall to inundate the market, cattle market and surrounding areas.
Rezaul Karim Reza, general secretary of the Kishoreganj Shop Owners’ Association, said no one was willing to lease this year’s Eid-ul-Adha cattle market because of the waterlogging.
“As a result, the government lost revenue, while traders and residents had to travel elsewhere to buy sacrificial animals,” he said.
Several local residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that political influence under the previous government prevented people from speaking out against the chairman. They also claimed that a youth gang loyal to him had been formed and that anyone protesting against alleged land grabbing or irregularities faced intimidation, threats and social harassment.
They said more people had begun speaking publicly following the recent political changes and demanded that the government recover the occupied land and take legal action against those responsible.
The chairman did not deny occupying government land but said there were many other illegal occupiers in the market.
“If the administration takes action against everyone, I will also vacate the government land,” Hossain Shahid Suhrawardy told TIMES of Bangladesh.
He, however, rejected allegations that public funds had been used for private purposes.
“The pond embankment had collapsed, so a guide wall was built under a government development project. No private structure was constructed with government funds,” he said.
Following the allegations, the district administration formed a five-member investigation committee on 10 June, headed by the additional deputy commissioner.
The committee has already visited the site, inspected the alleged encroached land, the filled pond, drainage facilities and newly constructed structures, and recorded statements from residents, traders and relevant officials.
Kishoreganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arifur Rahman said the allegations were under investigation and the report would soon be submitted to the ministry through the district administration.
“If the allegations are found to be true, necessary legal action, including eviction of the illegal occupation, will be taken,” he said.
Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Nairuzzaman said the probe committee had already completed its field visit.
“If the allegations are substantiated, the illegal occupation will be removed and strict legal action will be taken against the chairman in accordance with the law,” he said.
However, several weeks after the investigation began, no visible steps have yet been taken to remove the alleged illegal structures or recover the government property, leaving local residents waiting to see whether the inquiry results in concrete action.
