‘Surer Dhara’, a music school founded in 1992 by renowned Rabindra Sangeet singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, began its journey in a rented house in Dhaka’s Lalmatia neighborhood.
In 1996, the school secured a permanent campus on the western side of the Mohammadpur-Gabatli embankment, in the Ramchandrapur and Katasur Mouja area, displacing the Bangladesh Inter-District Truck Samity, which had illegally constructed a multi-storied building there.
It has been alleged that during the land acquisition, the Baitul Jannat Jame Mosque and Madrasah Complex, located on the north side of the khas land, was demolished.
According to locals, the music school was established on government-owned khas land, allegedly grabbed in connivance with the local administration and leaders of the ruling Awami League. By 2008, Bannya had reportedly taken full control of 55 percent of this khas land, dismantling the Truck Samity’s building with the presence of a lawmaker and local commissioner.
Bannya’s ambitions allegedly did not end there. Locals accuse her of filling the Ramchandrapur canal, further encroaching on public land and damaging the canal’s navigability.
Following her actions, Sadeeq Agro reportedly began similar land-filling activities. A local source, requesting anonymity, said that ‘Surer Dhara’ now occupies 110 percent of the land.
While the government has reportedly taken action against controversial Sadeeq Agro’s illegal land holdings, ‘Surer Dhara’ remains untouched.
Bannya is said to maintain strong connections with ruling party leaders and local administration, attracting visits from influential figures.
In 2017, police allegedly assisted ‘Surer Dhara’ in constructing a building on the disputed land, using force to drive away local residents.
High-profile events at the school have seen attendance from notable personalities, including the late Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Awami League leader Obaidul Quader. The local lawmaker, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, also frequents the area.
The TMA tried to contact Bannya for her side of the story— she answered the phone but requested a callback. Subsequent calls went unanswered.
themirrorasia
