Major (Retd) Mohammed Yaqub at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city yesterday said he has been living at a house at section-7 in Pallabi in the city for 26 years after getting a lease from the government.

But, he alleged, Rustam Ali Matubbar alias Alam, his son Mamun and some of his hired goons in connivance with some members of law enforcement agencies occupied most of his land.

He said breaking the locks of the gate, the criminals entered his house and beat up his family members on August 4 and asked them to leave the house. At that time, a team of Rab was patrolling the area but they did not come to help them, he alleged.

He also alleged that the criminals again forcibly entered his house on August 5 with a truck laden with bricks and sand and occupied two thirds of his land. Two people wearing Rab uniform were with them and threatened his wife to leave the place immediately, he added.

While reading out a written speech, he also said when he went to file a complaint with the Pallabi Police Station, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) refused to take his complaint.

"When we went to local ward commissioner, he blamed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of west zone for the incident and when we went to DC, he blamed the Rab officials," he said, adding, "Finally, when we went to Rab office, they told us to go to the court."

He appealed to the government to lease the land for 99 years to save his life from the criminals.