Workers of Rampur and Rashidpur tea estates in Habiganj have alleged that nearly five acres of tea garden land, including a centuries-old cremation ground, have been illegally occupied by local BNP leader Rafiqul Islam and his associates.
The allegation has sparked anger among tea workers and concern among local residents in Bahubal Upazila. Rafiqul Islam, son of the late Arab Ali of Rampur village, has denied the accusations.
According to tea workers and local residents, the cremation ground has been used by tea garden workers for nearly 200 years. A section of the disputed land was planted with rubber trees around five decades ago as part of the estate’s plantation activities.
Workers alleged that the disputed area, including the cremation ground and rubber plantation, was recently fenced off and brought under the control of Rafiqul Islam and his supporters.
A visit to the site found that a portion of the tea estate had been enclosed with net fencing. The boundary of the disputed land, including the cremation ground, had been marked, while several individuals were seen guarding the area.
Champa Lal, president of the Rampur Tea Garden Panchayat, said the land belonged to the tea estate and had long been used by workers as a cremation ground.
“We have been using this land for generations. Suddenly, a section of the estate, including the cremation ground, has been occupied. We seek administrative intervention to recover the land,” he said.
Nipen Chasa, president of the Rashidpur Tea Garden Panchayat, said workers could not accept the occupation of estate land.
“If the tea garden is lost, hundreds of workers will lose their livelihoods,” he said.
Union Parishad member Geeta Rani Karmakar described the cremation ground as an important religious and social heritage site and demanded legal action against those responsible for the alleged encroachment.
In protest against the alleged land grab, hundreds of workers from both tea estates staged separate human chains and demonstrations on Monday.
Speakers at the rallies alleged that influential individuals led by Rafiqul Islam were attempting to seize at least five acres of tea estate land, including the cremation ground. They warned that the move had created anxiety among tea workers and members of the local Hindu community.
The protesters demanded immediate protection of the land and threatened to launch tougher programmes, including demonstrations at the upazila administration office and blockades on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, if the land was not recovered.
” The cremation ground is not merely a piece of land; it is part of our religious and cultural heritage,” one speaker said, adding that the loss of tea estate land would threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of workers.
Rejecting the allegations, Rafiqul Islam said he had not occupied any tea garden land.
“Since 2019, I have been in contact with the administration regarding my claim to the land. The tea estate authorities do not possess valid documents. The administration has already inspected the site and I hope the matter will be resolved soon,” he said.
Rampur Tea Estate Manager Omar Faruk Babu said the disputed land had been part of the tea estate for nearly two centuries and that workers had long used a section of it as a cremation ground.
“The land was occupied under the cover of darkness recently. Workers have protested against the occupation and we have informed the relevant authorities. We hope the matter will be resolved through administrative intervention,” he said.
Bahubal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Uzzal Roy said a local individual had been claiming ownership of the land for a long time.
“The Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) and I have visited the site. A decision will be taken by the District Commissioner’s office after the investigation is completed,” he said.
