Staff Reporter :
A vested quarter is still on a ploy to grab the remaining land of the of Uttara graveyard under sector 4 in city by constructing more establishments there in the future, according to locals.
The residents of the sector have urged the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor as well as the authority concerned to take steps to settle this long-standing issue so that the remaining land of the graveyard can be used for burial purpose.
To cope with the growing pressure, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK) about a decade ago had handed over 23 kathas land to then undivided Dhaka City Corporation (now DNCC) in the north site of the Uttara graveyard under sector 4 but this space remain unused due to the land litigation.
According to the DNCC statistics, the capacity of Uttara graveyard at sector-4 is 600 graves while sector 12 is 1,200. But these burial grounds cannot meet the rising demand for burial plots in the area.
Residents of Uttara sector alleged that some local influential people remain always active
to grab the land and they have already taken various moves in this regard. They are telling other residents of the sector that a new mosque and a madrassa would be established there on the north side of the graveyard.
Talking to this reporter, some residents in the area said that a section of house owners in the northeast side of the graveyard do not get tenants to let their flats as the graveyard is just situated in front of their balconies.
“It is very simple nobody wants to go to bed by saying goodnight to the graveyard or wants to say good morning in the dawn again. Observing the situation, some house owners blessed by local leaders are opposing not to expand the northeast part of the graveyard for using as burial ground,” a resident said.
He alleged that these people along with the incumbent councillor Mohammad Afsaruddin Khan are advocating for establishing a new mosque and a madrasa there.
“But we local people don’t have any need to establish another mosque or madrassa as we have already a big mosque with sufficient accommodation facilities. It does not mean that I’m opposing mosque and madrassa. I would like to make my stand clear that we have a nice mosque, which has the capacity to accommodate more people. But we need sufficient space for our graveyard,” another local said.
He added local should attach importance on the final resting places for the dead instead of mosque and madrassa.
When contacted the incumbent councillor Afsaruddin Khan of Ward No-1, said he does not have any headache about the issue.
As asked that the ward counsellor is a key person who can play an effective role for his ward, he said, “Actually I know nothing about this issue. And I don’t have any interest too. Mayor is all in all.”
Meanwhile, some employees of the graveyard preferring not to be named told The New Nation that they are worried as the graveyard’s land is being grabbed in many ways. “We don’t have any option. Some local people don’t want to see the existence of the graveyard here. As a result, the graveyard is running out of space.”
On an average 100-150 bodies are buried in the graveyard in a year. The densely populated area has hardly any place for eternal rest for its dwellers in the near future, they added.
The chare for a general grave (two years) is Tk 500 only, for 10 years Tk 5 lakh, for 15 years Tk 8 lakh, for 20 years Tk 12 lakh and for 25 years Tk 15 lakh at Uttara graveyard
Recently, the graveyard authority allows three options-general, 15 years and 25 years.
The city corporation is not selling any space as the government in January, 2009 had declared rules and regulations that no one will be able to buy permanent space in any graveyard under its jurisdiction.
According to DNCC official, every two years the soil of the graveyard is sifted. The bones retrieved are buried in a specific place and the soil is replaced. This gives space for new graves.
As per the Islamic rules, burial space should not be bought permanently. Moreover, the space in Dhaka is decreasing day by day. So, it will be difficult for us to accommodate more bodies in future, he added.
Besides, Ahsania Mission, a non-government organisation, occupying some portions of the northeast area of the graveyard, is running a clinic named Nagar Shastho Kendra.
Locals have raised question why Ahsania Mission was allocated land inside the graveyard to establish this clinic (Nagar Shastho Kendra) as it has reduced the space of the graveyard.
In the past it was a family graveyard of late two brothers Mohammad Aminuddin and Mofizuddin. Later, RAJUK acquired 43 kathas of land and handed it over the undivided DCC for graveyard to meet growing demand for burial plots in the residents of city’s Uttara area, according to graveyard authority sources.
They added RAJUK also handed some 23 kathas of land to the DCC for expansion of the graveyard almost a decade ago. Originally, RAJUK had a plan to construct a mosque and a madrassa on that 23 katha of land.
But as a big mosque with a sufficient land is situated just 500 yard off the graveyard at Road No 6 under sector 4 in the area, RAJUK later handed it over to DCC for expansion of the graveyard. The Uttara graveyard was established on July 10 in 1995 on 66 kathas of land.
Hazi Mohammad Abdul Alim Mollik, a residence of House No. 39, Road No 10 under Sector 4, filed a writ petition against the expansion of graveyard during the army-backed emergency government in 2007. Since then, the open space of the north side of the graveyard has remained unused.
The then ward councillor late Hafizul Islam along with local people on several occasions had tried to convince some residents whose houses are adjacent to the northeast and northwest side of the graveyard to withdraw the writ petition and not to oppose the expansion the last resting place.
“But all his efforts went in vain,” a local said.
Talking to The New Nation Md Quisarul Islam, General Secretary, Uttara Jano Kallan Sangstha Sector 4, said that they are hopeful to get back the remaining space of the graveyard.
“On several occasions, we raised the issue and requested Mr. Abdul Alim Mollik to withdraw the stay order. And he (Mollik) has already been convinced and assured us of withdrawing the stay order,” he said.
Meanwhile, DNCC, the regulatory body of the graveyard has taken initiative to move the case.
“We have already taken a move to fight the case. The hearing of the date of case has not yet been fixed. We are waiting for the hearing date. As the stay order is on, I think I should not tell about it more,” Mohammad Ershadullah, Law Officer of DNCC told The New Nation.
When contacted Zia Uddin Ahmed, Zonal Executive Officer of DNCC said as part of providing medical service to the dwellers, the DNCC in association with the Ahsania Mission, is running a clinic under urban health project.
“It is DNCC’s asset. We are using the space for running the clinic. And the clinic is not hampering the burial ground,” he said.
