3 families of martyred tea workers get land ownership on Victory Day

The workers of Sylhet's Tarapur Tea Estate are deprived of their land rights. Although they have been living in the garden for a few generations, they do not own the land.

So the garden authority has taken the initiative to provide land ownership to the families of the martyred workers of the Tea Estate.

On April 18, 1971, the Pakistan Army carried out genocide in the Tea Estate. Around 39 labourers of the garden were martyred.

The authority has handed over the deed of donations for land to three families of the martyred workers today.  

The Tea Estate's Caretaker (Shebait) of the endowment property Pankaj Kumar Gupta handed over the deed of donations for land today. He is also the son of a martyr.

On the day of genocide in the garden, he lost five of his family members including his father. Doctor and some staffs of the garden were also martyred on that day.

The Tea Estate, located at Pathantula area of the city, is an endowment property. Controversial industrialist Ragib Ali seized the land for a long time through forgery. Following a Supreme Court order in 2016, the land was handed over to Pankaj.

"Pakistan Army abducted and killed my father, uncle and brothers. As I was very young, they spared me," said Pankaj.

"The families of the martyred tea workers are helpless. So I tried to manage a permanent place of residence for them. Gradually, all the families of the martyrs will get land," he said.

"I have no power to do more than that. I think, my ancestors' soul will rest in peace if I can do something for these helpless people," Pankaj added.  

On April 18, last year, the garden authority handed over the deed of donations for land to 20 families of the martyred workers, while commemorating the genocide.

Earlier today, people from different organisations placed wreaths at the martyrs' memorial of the garden.