The resort is located in a remote village, Bairagirtola, in Saharpur Union of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila. During a visit to the village and the neighbouring village, Domrasur, on Thursday, these reporters spoke to 27 families who had sold their land. 25 of them said they were not willing to sell their land but were forced to do so. Police Inspector Taimur Islam threatened them to sell the land.
A man from Bairagirtola, who did not wish to be named, said after selling his land, Benazir's family had bought three bighas of his ancestral land. He said a police inspector would approach land owners on behalf of Benazir Ahmed. He would approach them and say, “I am a good officer, so I am making sure you get some money. If you refuse to sell your land, you will lose your land and you will not get any money.”
Sanjay Bol, a youth from Bariagirtola, sitting at a tea stall near Savana Eco Resort, told Prothom Alo that Benazir had forcefully bought 30 bighas of his family's ancestral land. Benazir was the director general of RAB in 2018 and 2019 when the land was being bought and sold.
Those who sold their land said that if someone was not ready to sell their land, Benazir's people used a special trick. They would buy land all around and then close the entrance. Then the common people were forced to sell their land. All the 12 people who sold their land in Borokhola village of Kadambari Union in Madaripur, Rajour said that they were forced to do so in this way.
