Tea Capital in Turmoil: Land Grabbing Scandals Shake the Heart of Srimangal

Sangram Datta: Nestled in the rolling green hills of northeastern Bangladesh, the tranquil town of Srimangal has long been celebrated as the “Tea Capital” of the nation — a land where the air hums with the aroma of fresh tea leaves and the hills shimmer in emerald hues.

But behind its postcard beauty lies a darker story. In recent years, a shadow network of land grabbers and corrupt brokers has taken root here, threatening not only the property rights of local residents but also the peace and identity of this once-harmonious community.

Local residents and rights activists say an organized nexus of wealthy businessmen, local political figures, and self-styled community leaders now dominates the local land market. Backed by influence, intimidation, and at times the protection of corrupt officials, these groups are accused of grabbing land, falsifying documents, and coercing owners to sell ancestral plots far below market value.

“Ordinary people — especially minorities — are living in fear,” one villager told this correspondent. “The land brokers are backed by powerful names. When we go to the police, no one listens. If we file a case, we get threats.”

Locals allege that a few so-called journalists and lower-tier political activists have also joined this illegal network, using their positions to manipulate transactions and silence dissent.

In village after village, stories of fraud and intimidation follow a similar pattern.

Some brokers allegedly cultivate others’ farmland, then later record ownership under their own names using forged documents. Others sell disputed land still pending in court, confident that their political patrons will shield them from legal consequences.

In Noagaon, a village under Srimangal Union in the upazilla, residents accuse Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique and his son Moinul of forcibly cutting soil from farmland belonging to former Union Chairman and eminent politician Rasendra Datta Chowdhury, leaving behind a large pit. Though they signed a stamped promise to refill it, locals say the land remains scarred.

Nearby, Md. Ankar and Md. Hannan are alleged to have occupied 15 decimals of land legally registered to Sangram Datta, the former chairman’s son. Despite lacking any valid record or title, they continue to hold the property, shielded by local power structures.

Across Srimangal, fear has silenced many. Victims rarely go to the police or courts, convinced that justice will favor the influential. Those who try to resist often face harassment, fabricated cases, or economic ruin.

Even witnesses hesitate to testify. “People are scared,” said an inhabitant who asked not to be named from the area. “If you speak out, they come after you. So most of us stay quiet.”

Rights observers say this climate of fear has created a culture of impunity — where corruption flourishes, and justice seems out of reach for ordinary citizens.

The brunt of the crisis, locals say, falls on minority Hindu communities in villages such as  Namasudrapara, Dhulipara, and Palpara of Noagaon village. Over the years, many families have sold their land and migrated elsewhere after repeated harassment, threats, or forced sales.

In the nearby hilly belts — now dotted with luxury resorts and eco-tourism sites — once-peaceful farmers and tea workers are being gradually displaced. Many say they were tricked or pressured into selling, while others simply left to escape humiliation and fear.

Srimangal’s beauty remains breathtaking — the misty hills, the rustle of tea leaves, the distant call of wild birds. Yet beneath this serenity runs an undercurrent of anxiety and loss.

Community leaders and residents are calling on law enforcement, the judiciary, and the government to act decisively, to restore law and confidence among the people. Without swift intervention, they warn, the “Tea Capital” risks losing not only its land but its soul.

As the morning mist drifts over the tea gardens of Srimangal, one question lingers:

Can Bangladesh’s Tea Capital reclaim its peace — or is it slowly surrendering to the land mafia’s grip?