100-year-old woman sues son over alleged takeover of family property

A 100-year-old woman in Chapainawabganj, who can barely walk, has taken legal action against her elder son, alleging that he fraudulently took control of nearly 12 bighas of agricultural land, mango orchards and homestead property belonging to the family.Rahima Khatun, also known as Monowara Reful, is currently living with her younger son in a dilapidated house in Baliadanga Majhpara village of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila.She alleges that she and her late husband were asked to put their thumb impressions on documents on the pretext that a land-related case was pending. Later, she came to know that the thumb impressions had allegedly been used to register the family properties in the name of her elder son, Md Mukhtaruzzaman.Mukhtaruzzaman is a senior technical officer at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Rahima has also alleged that she and her younger son are being pressured to leave their ancestral homestead, while they are being prevented from repairing their deteriorating house.Seeking to protect her homestead and property rights in the final stage of her life, Rahima filed a case against her son at the Joint District Judge First Court in Chapainawabganj on August 31.I never transferred my property to anyoneAccording to the case statement, Mukhtaruzzaman allegedly took his father to the registration office after providing him with misleading information and obtained his thumb impression to transfer the land.The same method was allegedly used to obtain Rahima’s thumb impression. She was reportedly told that the documents were related to an ongoing land case. The family later discovered that the thumb impressions had allegedly been used to register the properties in Mukhtaruzzaman’s name.Rahima said she never transferred her property to anyone. I did not give my property to anyone, the centenarian said.Living in a dilapidated houseRahima currently lives with her younger son, Ismail Hossain, at their ancestral homestead. The tin roof of the house has developed holes, allowing rainwater to enter. Parts of the walls have cracked, while some wooden sections have also been damaged by termites.Rahima said she tried to repair the house but was prevented from doing so by Mukhtaruzzaman. She also alleged that after taking control of the property, her elder son has been pressuring her and Ismail to leave the homestead.The family says they sought solutions through several local arbitrations, lodged a complaint with the police and approached the district Legal Aid Office, but the dispute remains unresolved. All I want is a place to liveIsmail said the family owns around 12 bighas of paddy and mango land, along with the ancestral homestead. He alleged that all these properties had been transferred to the name of his elder brother, Mukhtaruzzaman.I take care of my mother. But even though the house has become unfit for living, we are not being allowed to repair it, Ismail said. Two other family members, Alim Hossain and Khairul Hossain, also made similar allegations.They claimed that six of the seven siblings have been deprived of their shares of the family property.Mukhtaruzzaman’s responseSeveral attempts were made to contact Md Mukhtaruzzaman for his comment on the allegations, but he could not be reached.His phone was found switched off until 9pm. The property dispute is now pending before the court. Rahima continues to live with her younger son at the ancestral homestead in Baliadanga Majhpara, seeking to retain her home and property rights.