Paharia families in Rajshahi have declared they will not leave Malpaharia Mohalla of Mollapara, where they have lived for 53 years. At a human chain in Sahebbazar Zero Point on Saturday (September 6), organized by the National Indigenous Council with support from rights groups and local organizations, speakers said the families had ancestral rights to the land and would collectively resist eviction. Community member Mayuri Biswas broke into tears, recalling how her grandparents settled there long before the city developed, and questioned why Sajjad Ali was suddenly claiming ownership.
Leaders at the protest, including Raj Kumar Shaw and Paharia Sardar Babul Biswas, said Sajjad Ali’s documents were invalid and alleged he had threatened the families and offered them money to vacate. They noted the city corporation had installed tube wells and toilets in the area, evidence that it was recognized as communal land. “We were born here, and we want to die here,” said Babul Biswas. Freedom fighter Mahmud Jamal Quaderi called the eviction attempt a clear violation of human rights.
According to locals, six Paharia families were allowed to build houses on 16 katha of land in Mollapara after the Liberation War. Today the settlement has grown to 16 families. Sajjad Ali reportedly paid Tk 30 lakh to organize their removal, leading three families to leave earlier this week. The rest were told to vacate by September 7, but following media reports and Friday’s protests, activists, teachers, students, and development workers rallied in support, halting the eviction attempt.
Date of News: 7 September 2025
Source: Bangla Tribune
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