OUR CORRESPONDENT, Barishal

Residents of the Harijan community living in the sweeper colony of Ward 9 under Barishal City Corporation are gripped by fear of eviction.

To protest, the affected families submitted a memorandum to the city corporation administrator yesterday afternoon.

Supriya Rani, 72, a colony resident, yesterday told The Daily Star that the authorities asked them on Saturday to leave after the upcoming Durga Puja. “We have lived here all our lives. Where will we go now?” she asked.

Munu Lal, one of the signatories of the memorandum, said, “We requested the administrator to allow us to live in the colony. His personal assistant received the memorandum, and we hope he will consider our appeal.”

Members of the Harijan community, who have served the city’s sanitation needs for over a century, said they never faced such a threat before. About a week ago, they were suddenly asked to vacate the colony, leaving them in constant fear.

Bina Rani, 65, said, “I was born and married here. Our family has lived here for seven generations. Suddenly the city corporation wants us out -- we cannot understand why.”

Locals alleged that influential groups want to build a market on the land. “If we are evicted, a multi-storey market will be built here, and the shops will be sold for profit,” said a resident.

Munna Lal, 75, said, “We have served the city all our lives, and now we have to lose our homes.”

Jharnalal, another sweeper, said while the colony officially houses nine families of city corporation employees, nearly 30 families now live there. “Our meagre salaries cannot cover house rent elsewhere. These colonies were built by the municipality for us. Now that land prices have gone up, vested groups want to grab them.”

Residents noted that similar colonies exist in Amir Kutir, Kaunia Bhakta Colony, and other areas, but as Kathpotti is a commercial zone, its sweepers face the strongest eviction pressure.

Uttam Kumar Bhakta, president of Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM), said, “Harijans are among the most marginalised. They work for the city but are paid very little. That is why colonies were set up for them. Evicting them now is unacceptable. We demand that the authorities stop this process.”

“There will be no joy in Durga Puja this year -- only fear,” said Benu Rani, 70. “At any moment, we may be thrown out of the homes we’ve had for generations.”

When contacted, Barishal City Corporation CEO Md Rejaul Bari said, “We have only sought information on who are living in the colony. No decision has been taken yet regarding eviction.”

He, however, did not clarify why the information was sought.