Joshna Adhikari (35) is the daughter of a poor family in Satkhira Sadar. She got married 16 years ago to a lower-middle-class family in Koyra, Khulna. Her husband had a clothing shop in a local bazaar. She had a happy family with her husband, elderly mother-in-law and three children in a half-baked house. She had big dreams for her three children. No matter how difficult it was, she would treat them like human beings.
But suddenly her dreams are shattered. She has lost her husband and her family and is now destitute. Although she has found temporary accommodation with a neighboring family, she is struggling to survive with her three children and elderly mother-in-law.
Joshna Adhikari’s husband Ashok Adhikari got married for the second time and disappeared. The family of the person she married for the second time filed a case. Joshna Adhikari has been jailed in that case. Earlier, her husband secretly sold most of the house and crop land to an expatriate. Although 17 decimal of the land of the house remained unsold, the expatriate family tried to seize the entire land by force to gain influence. However, the eviction of Joshna failed due to opposition from locals and the cooperation of public representatives. However, after August 5, taking advantage of the deteriorating law and order situation, the secret buyer took possession of everything with people. Since then, Joshna has taken refuge in the balcony of someone else’s house with her three children and elderly mother-in-law. The family lives in Sheikh-Sardarpara village of Uttar Bedkashi Union in Koyra Upazila of Khulna.
Recently, when she was seen on the ground, Joshna was seen sitting on the veranda of her shelter’s house, chopping vegetables for cooking. Her younger daughter Disha (3) and her older daughter Ankita (5) were by her side. At that time, she told this reporter her sad story. She said with tears in her eyes, “I was very good. I don’t understand what happened. Even after losing my husband, I was living in my own house with my three children and mother-in-law. I was doing housework for other people and running the family. Now they have thrown me out of the house and sent me to live on my own.”
Joshna complained that she did not get any help even after telling the administration. She said, “I have told many people, including the police station. No action has been taken. I cannot pay my son’s education expenses, days are passing without food. The future of my children is dark. No one will understand how difficult it is to live like this like me.” She further said, “The person who bought the land lives abroad. He has the power of money. Suddenly, one day, 20-25 strangers came on his behalf and threw us out of our house. We are roaming the streets with everything we were wearing. Even after the sale, there is 17 decimal land. Everything has been taken away. I have informed many police and locals. No one judges properly. So I have taken justice to God.”
While talking to him, his mother-in-law, old Maya Adhikari (65), came and sat there. She has four daughters and a son. She lost her husband long ago. She is distraught after losing her son. In a trembling voice, she said, “His (son’s) father died when he was young. I raised him with difficulty. He got married himself, got his four sisters married. He didn’t even sell a single katha of land. I don’t understand what is happening; I heard that the land has been sold. He is running away after me.”
Shelterer Machura said, “I don’t have a husband either. I know what a helpless situation it is when a husband leaves. That’s why I gave shelter to the helpless family. But I can’t say how long I can stay. I have gone to the local UP chairman and dignitaries with them. I have even protested with the police several times. But no one has offered any solution.”
Nurul Islam, chairman of Uttar Bedkashi Union, said, “There were several rounds of arbitration in the Union Parishad on the matter. It was found that out of the 66decimal of the land owned by Joshna’s Husband Ashok Adhikari, Golam Rasul, a Malaysian expatriate, had bought 49 decimal of the land. The remaining land is still unsold. That is why efforts were made to save their homestead. But after the fall of the government on August 5, all the land was seized and the family was evicted. It has gone beyond my means.”
On-site inspection of Joshna Adhikari’s old residence revealed that the gate to the veranda of the semi-detached house was locked. Two children were swimming in the pond in front of the house. When asked about it, a child named Hasan said that the house is now theirs. His father lives in Malaysia. His mother is at home. But his mother did not respond even when called.
Neighbor Supriya Adhikari said that they forcibly evicted the Joshnas with a team. They threatened to file a case against them for protesting. So they did not say anything else out of fear. When asked, Koyra Police Station Officer-in-Charge Imdadul Haque said, “We have tried to resolve the matter. It is a very complicated matter. Therefore, we have advised them to approach the court.”
Koyra Upazila Executive Officer Ruli Biswas said, “The incident is inhumane. If their land exists in that area, arrangements will be made to rescue it. Along with this, care will also be taken to ensure that the family does not face any problems.” Source-bangladesherkhabor.net
