, Feb. 21 -- A minority family in Patuakhali has alleged assault, intimidation and attempts to grab their land by local influential people in Marichbunia union under the sadar upazila.

At a press conference held at the Patuakhali Press Club on Saturday noon, victim Gopal Majhi read out a written statement detailing the allegations.

He said some locals had long been trying to forcibly occupy their recorded and possessed land. According to him, he owns about 40 decimals of land in the Marichbunia mouza area. He alleged that due to the land dispute, several people including local Awami League leader and now a member of Bangladesh Krishak Dal, Zakir Bhuiya, along with Suman Payda, Nasir Akon, Harun Matbar, Jafar Bhuiya and Nizam Payda, have...