Human chain against land grabbing in Bandarban

chtnews.com
News No. 23/2010, February 11, 2010

The Bangladesh Tripura Christian Students’ Association and Sadharan Tripura Janagoshti (Common Tripura People) formed a human chain Wednesday, yesterday, in front of Bandarban Press Club against attempts at land grabbing in Tonkabati Union.

They demanded arrest and trial of those responsible for the attack on the villagers of Jotram Karbari Para and the burning down of a house.

BTCSA President Naha Tripura said a total of 25 Tripura families with Jotram Tripura as their chief were rehabilitated by Forest Department under Tonkabati Union (No. 310) in 1985-86. Each of these families was given 5 acres of land – 4.5 acres for horticulture and .5 acre for homestead.

“The settlers are now trying to evict these poor families and grab their lands” he alleged.

On 2 February, a group of settlers led by Nasir Uddin attacked the Jumma villagers with dao (a kind of knife), stick and seesaw and torched a house.

Daity Tripura, Goyonganti Tripura, Terun Tripura, Michael Tripura and Hastaram Tripura were seriously injured in the attack.