Settlers grab land in Burighat, Rangamati

CHTnews.com
News No. 02/2008, January 20, 2008

Illegal plain settlers led by Md. Wahab from Burighat under Rangamati district of central Chittagong Hill Tracts forcibly taken away 25 acres of land belonging to the Jumma people in Hatimara village.

The grabbing of the said lands took place in the month of December 2007.

Of the lands, 10 acres fall into the category of third class grove land and belong to Shukro Moni Chakma s/o late Monno Chakma of village North Hatimara under Burighat Mouza (No. 72).

The rest 15 acres are "fringe lands" belonging to nine individual Jummas. They are Shukro Kumar Chakma s/o Bina Chan Chakma, Progoti Chakma s/o Sobha Kishta Chakma, Subash Chandra Chakma s/o late Nil Baran Chakma, his brother Purno Chandra Chakma, Brisho Ketu Chakma s/o Gupto Moni Chakma and Hiroketu Chakma s/o Kamal Chandra Chakma of North Hatimara and Proti Chakma s/o Suresh Chandra Chakma, Priyo Ranjan Chakma s/o Prabhat Chandra Chakma and his brother Sarathi Chakma of South Hatimara village.

Acting upon a complaint lodged by the aggrieved Jummas, the Thana Nirbahi Officer of Naniachar sub-district made an inquiry into the allegation of land grabbing under army protection on 3 January 2008.

The TNO suggested two options for consideration of the Jummas. He said they can either agree to an equal distribution of the so-called disputed lands between them and the settlers or take recourse to the law to reclaim their lands.

Finally, the TNO ordered both the parties to maintain status quo until a final decision is given by a competent authority.

The failure of the TNO to eject the unlawful occupants of Jumma villager's lands has come under severe criticism. One villager said "the TNO has failed to be impartial in this case".

Another said this would encourage and embolden the settlers to grab more lands. "It is an open incitement to forcible land grabbing" he said on condition of anonymity.

The villagers alleged that after the judgment of the TNO, the illegal settlers were threatening to grab more of their lands.