Since the birth of Bangladesh, land dispute has been an apple of discord in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The indigenous people of the area have always been under the threat from forced displacement due to several reasons, with land grabbing being one of them. Leaving the native people on edge, land grabbing by outsiders still expedites the process of marginalization and worsens the situation there.
In 1959, the Indigenous population in CHT was about 91 per cent, with the rest being settlers. But the scenario has drastically changed over time. They lost their control over 51 per cent of their land in the past 30 years.
Forced displacement has come down hard upon the indigenous communities in the CHT in several forms; sometimes state institutions (Forest Department) playing the central role and sometimes influential people burning their home or corporate organizations burning their only means of livelihood.
Hill Burnt to Ashes
On 26 April, some people associated with Lama Rubber Industries Limited set fire to about 300-350 acres of remote hilly area in Lama Upazila of Bandarban, destroying around 100 acres of rice fields and fruit gardens belonging to Mro and Tripura people.
According to a report of The Business Standard published on 30 April, Johan Tripura, Headman of Joychandra Para, said, "ten to fifteen people from the rubber company were seen at the spot where the fire first erupted at 10 am. They, however, repeatedly denied any involvement in the blaze. Then one after another fire started breaking out at different hills simultaneously. At that time, about 60 more workers of the rubber company were guarding the places."
The villagers also alleged that even after repeated complaints, the administration took no step to douse the fire at the remote hilly area, located only 30km away from the Chunti sanctuary in Bandarban.
Mohammad Idris, the chairman of Sarai union, said, "The rubber company reduced a 400-acre area of hilly land to ashes by setting fire to the trees in the mountains" (according to the aforementioned report).
Meanwhile in 28 April, Langkam Mro Karbari (village head) of Langkam Mro Para filed a petition with Lama Court against 8 people over the fire incident. Till now, two of them were arrested including the Manager of Lama Rubber Industries Mohammad Arif Hossain.
According to Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Yasmin Parveen Tibriji, in 1996, the district administration had leased out 1,600 acres of land for rubber plantation to 64 people who jointly formed the Lama Rubber Industries Limited.
However, the company failed to plant rubber trees in the entire area in the last 27 years. Moazzem Hossain Riyadh, chairman of Save the Nature of Bangladesh, said, "Since Lama Rubber Industries has failed to build up the rubber garden, there is no chance that the lease will remain in force after 33 years."
The arson is now causing food and water shortage in the area. Most of the victims had no food at home. With no support and supplies from the government they are living on boiled wild leaves and herbs. After 50 years of independence, in a so called democratic country, government aid doesn’t reach the affected people within two weeks! What could be more shameful?
Where is the end?
Incidents like this don't just stop causing food shortage, rather they have a far-reaching impact. It end up evicting indigenous people inhabiting in the land for decades and making them more marginalized which lead to the endangerment of their very existence.
The process of marginalizing the ethnic minorities is not new. In fact, it has been going on since the days of Pakistan. In the 1960s, the Kaptai lake, built under the direction of the United States and Pakistani government officials, submerged most of the cultivable lands in Rangamati; bringing in devastating consequences including the displacement of over 100,000 Jumma people. This tragedy still remains as a fresh wound to them.
Whereas the government is supposed to provide security and safety to the hills, a wide array of incidents proves the opposite.
Written by Neeti Chakma
Comments