Five Indigenous Kol families in Babudaing village of Godagari upazila, Rajshahi, were evicted on Monday after a court order, leaving 15–20 people homeless. In the presence of court officials and police, an excavator demolished their houses. The residents say they were not given time to move belongings — even food cooking on the stove and daily essentials remained buried in the rubble. The families spent the night under a bamboo grove.
According to the affected families, they have lived on the land for around 25 years, believing it to be private property. A land dispute case was later filed by another party, who claimed ownership. The families allege that they did not receive any prior notice of the final eviction decision. “We asked for two hours to take out our things. They did not listen,” said Rumali Hasda, who was seen trying to recover clothes and utensils from the debris. Her grandson, a five-year-old child with disabilities, was heard crying for food — the family had not eaten since the demolition.
Court officials present said the eviction was carried out directly under the Assistant Judge Court’s order after no agreement was reached between both parties. Local administration authorities say they were unaware of the eviction and requested the families to contact their Union Parishad office for assistance — leaving immediate support uncertain.
This displacement adds to long-standing patterns of land vulnerability faced by Indigenous communities in Bangladesh. Lack of secure land titles, limited legal aid, and structural power imbalances often leave Indigenous families at high risk of eviction and homelessness. For the Kol community — whose cultural and social life is deeply tied to land — losing a home is not only a material loss but a rupture of identity and community continuity.
State agencies, local administration, and human rights organizations now face urgent responsibility to ensure that the displaced families receive emergency shelter, food support, and legal assistance — and that long-term solutions prioritize dignity, land rights, and protection from further dispossession.
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