The sufferings of people in Sylhet over land dispute are increasing significantly. People are regularly harassed with cases over the land. And now, a new trouble for the people of Sylhet is in the offing as the 'press' of Sylhet Zonal Settlement Office is being shifted to Dhaka.
Zonal Settlement Officer in Sylhet informed, the land related works would be further delayed if the press is shifted to Dhaka and the service recipients would face further encumbrances. Officials further informed, the issue of shifting the press has been discussed in the meeting but no written order has so far been issued in this connection.
Sylhet Zonal Settlement Office sources informed, in 1987-'88, the land survey activities started in 36 upazilas of the then Sylhet division. The survey is still continuing and so far the survey of 25 upazilas has been completed and the rest are also nearing an end.
In 2012, under the initiative of Zonal Settlement Officer Yousuf Ali a press in Sylhet was set up and the survey works gained momentum with the establishment of the press.
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Concerned sources said, before setting up the press, all documents of the office were printed from Dhaka which took a long time and the land owners had to wait for a long time to get their land documents. Now, the press being set up in Sylhet, land related documents are being printed soon and the people are also getting their land documents soon. But, if the press is shifted to Dhaka, the people of Sylhet will again become the victims of delay in getting their documents.
Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury, President of Shushasoner Jonno Nagorik in Sylhet informed the shifting of the press from Sylhet to Dhaka will be a suicidal decision. This should be resisted. He drew attention of local ministers and MPs to look into the matter.
Obaidur Rahman, Zonal Settlement Officer in Sylhet informed since 2012 land related works of some 5,000 mouzas have been completed. It was possible to finish those works soon because of the press in Sylhet.
He said, the issue to shifting the press from Sylhet to Dhaka has been discussed in a meeting in Dhaka but no written order in this connection has so far been reached to him.
Moazzem Hossain, Director General of Land Record and Survey Deptt informed the issue of shifting the press to Dhaka has been discussed but no decision has yet been taken in this connection.
He said there is no manpower in Sylhet to operate the press, as a result, people from Dhaka are sent to Sylhet to operate the press. He further mentioned due to technical problem, no local manpower from Sylhet is being employed to run the press.
