District Council Chairman visits Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir

CHTnews.com
News No. 03/2008, January 20, 2008

The Khagrachari District Council Chairman Mr. Manindra Lal Tripura, a hand-pick of the government, yesterday, 19 January, visited Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir at Karallyachari under Mahalchari sub-district.

He was accompanied by Thana Nirbahi Officer of Mahalchari Md. Abul Hossain, OC of Mahalchari police station, an Army Major and three members of the Khagrachari District Council.

His visit comes in the wake of mounting tension over a military ban on uplift activities at Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir, a Buddhist meditation centre-cum-temple run by a disciple of the Bana Bhante, the most revered and venerated Buddhist monk in Bangladesh. The situation was further compounded by the filing of a criminal case against 500 Jummas by an illegal settler and the subsequent arrest of the Kuthir's chief priest Rev. Aryo Joti Bhikkhu on 14 January. However, he was released on bail along with other Jummas named as accused in the FIR.

During his visit, Mr. Manindra Lal Tripura enquired about the Kuthir's uplift activities as well as the dispute over the land.

The chairman of Kiang-ghat Union Council Mr. Biswajit Chakma and Headman Mr. Bidya Binod Chakma told him that the Jummas had valid documents pertaining to the "disputed land" where as the documents showed by the settlers were fictitious.

The headman further told that according to the land laws now prevailing in the CHT he must be consulted before making any land grants. He alleged that he did not know how the settlers got their land documents.

Mr. Tripura assured that he would take actions after necessary consultation with the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs.

Two illegal settlers - Md. Mobarak, platoon commander of Para-military Ansar, and Md. Zhurul Haq from Chongrachari cluster village - were also present.

The military personnel stationed at the Kuthir area hid themselves behind bushes nearby and remained outside the gaze of Manindra Tripura and his entourage.

Military patrol increased
CHTnews.com correspondent from Mahalchari said the military have increased their patrol across the area since yesterday. Army personnel have been seen in the villages of Jadugonala, Ultachari Bihar Para, Golakkyapara, Karallyachari, Hazachari, Dadkuppya and Kiang-ghat.

An all pervading sense of fear and an uneasy is prevailing among the Jumma villagers in the area, he said.