Jamayat supporters attempt to occupy Tripua Village

chtnews.com
News No. 04/2010, January 10, 2010

There are allegations that supporters of Bangladesh Jamayat-e Islami have been making attempts to occupy the village of Jote-ram Tripura Para in Bandarban Sadar Upazila, reports Prothom Alo, a national Bengali daily newspaper.

In a news article published in today’s issue of the paper, its Bandarban correspondent, Buddha Jyoti Chakma writes: “the Jamayat supporters are harassing the villagers by filing false cases against them. Moreover, they have initiated a process of obtaining a Jote Permit (permission to cut and transport trees) so that they can cut away the trees of village worth Taka million. The Deputy Commissioner is said to have directed (the relevant officials) to issue Jote Permits to them.”

He further writes: “sources concerned including residents of Tripura Para said in 1986, the Forest Department had rehabilitated 25 Tripura families in Tonkaboti Mouza of Tonkaboti Union under a Jumiya resettlement project. The new settlement was named after Jote-ram Tripura, the chief of the village.

“In the new settlement, an area -- lying to the south of a piece of land belonging to Ayub Ali -- has been demarcated for housing plots and a school for the Tripura people. Later Ayub Ali sold his land to Nasir Ali. That land is still lying vacant.

“After settlement the Jummas grew various kinds of trees including mangoo, jackfruit and teak. During a visit to the village (this correspondent) witnessed many large trees. Local residents told they would earn Taka 15 – 20 lakhs from the sale of teak trees alone.

“Jote-ram Tripura said a gang led by Jamayat supporter Nasir Uddin aka Footbal Nasir secretly filed a petition with Deputy Commissioner and the Forest Department for issuance of Jote Permits that would be applicable for four acres of land including the land covering Jote-ram Para. When they (villagers) came to know of the matter, they raised objections with the Deputy Commissioner, and this enraged the gang members. Later, a false case was filed against some Jumma villagers for stealing trees. On 3 January, Jote-ram Karbari submitted a written appeal to the Deputy Commissioner to protect his village and the trees. In his appeal he has brought allegations of masterminding attempts to grab (land and trees) against Nasir Uddin, Ashraf Ullah, Serajul Islam, Khokan Mian and Abdul Rashid – all supporters of Jamayat-e Islami in Bandarban.

“When contacted, Nasir Uddin claimed that the trees in the Tripura village were planted by Ayub Ali. It is the Jumma people who occupied Ayub Ali’s land. The Divisional Forest Officer of Bandarban A. S. M. Monirul and Range Officer of Tonkaboti Shib Prashad said as per rules, Ayub Ali’s land was demarcated with the aid of surveyors and land department officers. The issue was settled back in 1986. However, they said they would inquire into the matter.

“The Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman has confirmed he received a written allegation from Tripura people. He said, ‘I told the Adibashis (Jumma people) to resist with arrow and bow, dao (a kind of knife) and axes and also to file cases, if anyone tries to grab their lands’. He said he could not remember giving go-ahead to the gang to initiate the process of Jote Permit. Abdus Salam Azad, Amir of Jamat-e Islami in Bandarban, said ‘we have some supporters in the area; Nasir Uddin and Ashraf are our supporters. They come and join our meetings and processions.’”