Carmichael College in the Rangpur divisional town was set up in 1916 on 321 acres of land. But the land is being steadily grabbed by a quarter.

Sources say that more than three acres belonging to the college have already been encroached on by a group of influential people.

Locals say the encroachers are building various types of structures, including commercial buildings, on the encroached land.

The college principal told this correspondent that the college authorities had taken repeated steps to evict the encroachers, but the eviction drives had fizzled out because of “mysterious” reasons.

However, locals allege that the college authorities are not taking firm steps to prevent the land grabbing. Instead, the land-grabbers are becoming more active.

Hasna Banu (68), a local, said the college authorities would not be able to recover the occupied land from the encroachers. She also said the encroachers were renting out the structures built on the occupied land.

Some locals told this correspondent that some dishonest college officers and employees were in cahoots with local land brokers.

They estimated that about 160 different structures had been built on the occupied land. These structures are now being given out on rent to people.

The college principal, Dr Sheikh Anowar Hossain, said the college authorities had not given any plot on lease to anyone.

“Before my arrival here, many structures were already here. After taking charge as the principal, I took permission from the ministry concerned to initiate steps against the encroachers. I wrote a letter to the owner of the Adiba Hostel, Md Altap Hossain, to evict the illegal structures from the grabbed land some days ago. I have also sought help from the deputy commissioner of Rangpur.”

The deputy commissioner of Rangpur, Ashib Ahsan, said: “If the college authorities seek any help, I will do whatever is possible within my jurisdiction.”