33 sued over demolition of under construction market in Cox's Bazar

Thirty-three people have been sued over the demolition of an under construction market in Cox's Bazar.

Badhiratna Barua, owner of the demolished Arab Market, filed a case with the Ukhiya police station on Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammad Ali, officer in-charge of the police station, told The Business Standard.

"The case named eight accused, along with 25 other unidentified persons. Efforts are being made to arrest the accused," he said.

Kotbazar Shop Owners Association President Khorshed Alam Babul has been made the main accused in the case.

The others include Abdur Rahman, Md Hashem, Naushad, Jasim Uddin, Kabir Ahmad, Jasim Uddin and Noor Alam Bagha.

Badhiratna Barua said his family owned the land, where the market was being constructed, for over a hundred years. They had their own market in some parts of the land. The new market with eight tin shed shops was being constructed in the remaining portion.

"Already 85% of the work of the market had been completed," he said.

However, the Kotbazar Shop Owners Association, under the leadership of its President Khorshed Alam Babul, had demanded that two shops of the market be allotted to them or a cash contribution of Tk three lakh be given.

There was a meeting over the issue with the mediation of the local police at the Ukhiya police station.

"But on Monday afternoon, the leaders of the association gathered more than 200 people and demolished the entire market."

Contacted on Monday, Khorshed Alam admitted demolishing the market to The Business Standard.

He claimed that the Arab Market was being built in a parking place and was ruining the beauty of the place.

However, when asked if they had the authority to demolish a market owned by someone else, he declined to answer.

This newspaper tried to contact him over the phone after the filing of the case, but he was unreachable.