An expatriate family in Keraniganj has been left in a state of acute distress and vulnerability following a violent land-grabbing raid on their ancestral homestead after they refused to pay a extortion demand of 20 lakh taka. The incident, which unfolded at South Baluchar in the Hazratpur Union of Keraniganj, saw armed miscreants systematically dismantle the family’s residence, loot household property, and lay waste to agricultural assets while local law enforcement reportedly declined to register a formal case.
Addressing a press conference through tears on Monday afternoon, members of the victimised family detailed the terrifying ordeal that transpired on the morning of Friday, 11 September. Aual Hossain, one of the sufferers, recounted how local gang members coordinated with hired thugs brought in from Mohammadpur and Tongi to blockade all access roads leading to the compound. Establishing a perimeter around 9:00 am to prevent neighbours from intervening, the assailants cut internet communication wires and smashed closed-circuit television cameras before forcing their way inside. At the time of the breach, only three women were present in the house.
Although the family managed to call the national emergency helpline 999, prompting a temporary police response, the attackers resumed their destruction as soon as the patrol unit departed. Armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods, and sharp local weapons, the gang completely demolished a tin-roofed building, stripping the interior of furniture, household goods, and personal belongings.
The underlying dispute centres on a 211-decimal parcel of land in the Hazratpur Mouza. According to land records, the property was originally purchased by the complainants’ late father and is documented across CS, SA, and RS surveys. Following his death, his children maintained peaceful possession, ensuring proper land mutation (namjari) and regular payment of land taxes. Owing to previous attempts at illegal encroachment, the siblings had already filed a petition (Case No. 194/26) under Section 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to protect their legal title.
During the latest assault, the perpetrators targeted the estate’s agricultural productivity, cutting down fruit-bearing mango and banana trees, destroying vegetable patches, and draining the pond to seize various fish species. The family estimates agricultural losses at 10 lakh taka, alongside 2 lakh taka worth of stolen fish, bringing the total damage to 12 lakh taka in addition to the structural destruction and looted valuables.
Assia, a distraught family member, voiced deep frustration over the ordeal, noting that her brothers live and work abroad, maintaining complete distance from political activities. She questioned how an ordinary family could yield to a 20 lakh taka extortion demand and pleaded directly with government authorities for protection and justice.
When asked about the failure to register a case regarding the violence and extortion, the Officer-in-Charge of Keraniganj Model Police Station, Ruhul Kuddus, stated he was unaware of the situation and had no immediate recollection of the event, promising to look into the matter.
