Rampant land grabbing in CHT

Advisory: With photo

Biplob Rahman, BDNEWS writer

Back from CHT

Dhaka, April 29 (BDNEWS) – The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is now caught by an open but heinous politics of rampant land grabbing.

The tribal dominated regions are gradually being replaced by non-tribals and outsiders under the very nose of the security forces and the administration.

Highly placed government officials on condition of anonymity admitted the fact and told BDNEWS that a parallel rule of former guerilla group Shantibahini and security forces had existed over the hilly regions before signing of the peace accord.

They added, as the situation had changed in the CHT considerably, land grabbing is now widespread there.

They maintained, though the hill tracts is dubbed as 'tribal dominated region', the way the settlers and non-tribal people are increasing in the hilly areas, it is not far way away for the indigenous community to become alien in their homeland.

An on-the-spot visit substantiates the melancholic feature of violating human rights.

Bihari Ranjan Chakma, chairman of tourist spot Sublong union of Rangamati, told BDNEWS that the way the Bangali settlers are on the rise, the lives, land and security of the ethnic groups are now under threat. Settlers and hilly people are now in face-to-face position centering the possession of land.

He said, a tribal man was killed recently at Barkal in a racial clash over possession of land.

Banlata Chakma, twice elected UP member from Sublong, said, the jum (a sort of cultivation on the slope of hills) rice has ripened and another racial clash is feared to be imminent.

An investigation revealed that the conflicts over land possession are more in number in the hill district of Khagrachhari. The same feature of anarchy is visible at Panchhari, Mohalchhari, Maichchhari, Joyshen Karbari Para, Lemuchhari, Cuttingtila, Bijitala, and Gamaritala.

Apart from Barkal of Rangamati and Sublong, Kurkuijya, Bilyachhara, Kutchalong Mukh, Baghihat, Sadar of Bandarban district and Ruma upazila are also in the grip of same anarchy.

It was learnt that after the peace treaty a 'land commission' was formed to resolve land dispute on December 02, 1997. But the commission has not come into effect.

The parliamentary standing committee on CHT affairs itself expressed regret as the commission did not hold any meeting over the past six years.

The administration is allocating land flouting the CHT rule of 1900. The forest department is also allocating hills and hillocks illegally in the name of making garden.

The CHT chairman and Janasanghati Samity president Joytindra Bodhipriya (Santu) Larma told BDNEWS that an anarchic situation is going on in the hill tracts.

He said, the land is the life of the Adivashi people (indigenous people), adding, if they are uprooted from their land they will be destroyed.

Former guerrilla leader Santu Larma said, a deep-rooted conspiracy is going on to ruin the Adivashis by grabbing land in a planned way. Land is also captured in the name of setting up camp for security forces and training area expansion.

He went on to say, through spreading the idea of ultra Muslim nationalism rather than implementing peace accord an intrigue is out to strangle the adivashi people. Jumma (hilly people) people will resist it, he commented.

The total area of CHT located in the southeastern part of Bangladesh is 5,093 square mile. The estimated population of CHT is 15 lakh. The Bangalis are now outnumbered the tribal people.

BDNEWS/1555 hrs