NOAKHALI. Nov 10: Like many other shoal areas of the country, people of Ramgati thana are also deprived of their lands, crops and other facilities over the ages, reports UNB.

Grappled with various problems like never-ending land settlement process, repression by land lords or musclemen and looting of crops, hundreds of poor families in shoal areas of the thana are fighting a losing battle for survival.

It's true that they are poor and landless, but they never bow down to landlords. They live there frequently shifting their residences from one shoal to another for lack' of consciousness. said an NGO official.

Ramgati thana has got a

dozen of shoals emerged as a result of erosion by the river Meghna. River erosion and emergence of shoals here Is a common feature.

Officials said the landless people, roughly estimated to be 20.000 in the thana, take shelter on any shoal whenever It emerges with a hope to get a piece of land, a dream never comes true.

The government neither could give them any land nor take any step to rehabilitated them in last two decades, said a local leader wishing anonymity.

A total of 19 small and big shoals have emerged in Ramgati thana, of which 16.723 acres of land, including 7.976 khas land, are cultivable.

More woriylng is that the landless people often fall victim to torture and harassment of influential people if they refuse to be their musclemen.

The situation takes an alarming turn when the time of harvesting comes. A farmer alleged that they have to pass sleepless night during the harvest every season.

"This Is not unusual, but the problem Is that the authorities look least bothered to find out a solution to this long-running problem.", commented a social worker.

About the complication in settlement of land, an official said. At least 10 people come up claiming the ownership of a single land virtually without having any legal documents.

Local people alleged that four groups in the thana become active during the harvest. If the members of any group feel that they are stronger than others, they go forward to capture crop land, triggering violence, arson, rape anakidnapping.

According to official statistics. about 500 farmers were killed in Char Gazarla and Char Boyai in last one decade while 1470 houses were burnt. 3723 women raped and 274 kidnapped. Even 23 women were forced to be sex workers at Selim Bazar cyclone shelter.

Besides, eyes of 24 people were gouged out. four children buried alive and 300 people remained missing in the area after clashes during the period.