Fifteen families of Hindu community staged a demonstration yesterday protesting attempt to grab their land in Badurtali area under Kalapara municipality in the district.

Over 50 people of the religious minority group staged the demonstration in front of Kalapara Press Club, seeking support from the local administration to protect their property.

The protesters left the spot after Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalapara Police Station GM Shah Newaz assured them of taking legal action regarding the matter.

Shah Newaz said they already stopped the work for building the house on the land by the alleged grabbers. He said the situation is now under control.

Locals said a gang led by Abdul Haq Musulli and Delwar Hossain Khan went to build a house on a piece of land owned by a Hindu family in the area.

The representatives of the Hindu fami-

lies Nimai Saha and Monoranjan Shil submitted a complaint to Kalapara Police Station seeking legal steps against the grabbers.

Monoranjan said they are living on 50 decimals of land that was allocated to them by the land office in 2012, where there is a temple.

Municipality Councillor Al-Amin Sardar said around 10 decimals of land, out of 50 decimals, had been grabbed by Abdul Haq and Delwar about a month ago.

He said at least 15 Hindu families have been living there for 30 to 35 years, although they got allocation five years ago.

Al-Amin urged the local administration to take steps to save the land from the grabbers.

Delwar said they did not grab the land of the minorities. The Hindu families' claim is false, he said, adding that they filed the complaint against them (grabbers) only to harass them.

The OC said they have stopped construction on the plot. "The situation is now under control and we will look into the matter, ” he added.