Hill Voice, 26 February 2022, Rangamati: A Jumma villager has been allegedly beaten by Bengali settlers for barring cows from grazing on their land in Aimachara Union of Barkal Upazila under Rangamati Hill District.

It is learnt that on February 25, 2022, a Jumma villager named Amar Kanti Chakma (35) was beaten by 5 Bengali settlers in Kalabunia area of Aimachhara union of the upazila. Amar Kanti Chakma’s house is in Ward No. 4 of Aimachara Union. The attacking Bengali settlers are Md. Durjoy, Md. Akash, Md. Arif, Morzina Begum and Tuni, residents of  ward no 2 of Aimachhara Union.

Amar Kanti Chakma, the victim of the incident, said that the Bengali settlers have been warned many times not to tend cows on our cultivated land. But they did not listen. Despite such warnings, they left the cows openly on the land. This causes damage to the crops of the land. This problem has been around for a long time.

He added that even today they (Bengali settlers) released the cows as usual. Then I saw the cows grazing openly on the ground and I led them to their house. Then I started cutting soil on our own land. Later, at around 3:30 pm, they came to look for me. After that, just saying why did I chase the cows home, Md. Durjoy, Md. Akash, Md. Arif, Morzina Begum and Tuni started attacking and beating me.

Amar Kanti Chakma said that Sneha Kumar Chakma rushed to the spot to rescue him after hearing the news of the incident.

Note that the Bengali settlers are not permanent residents of the area. In 1979-80, the government of Bangladesh illegally infiltrated them from outside of the Chittagong Hill Tracts for political purposes and forcibly settled in the Jumma inhabited Aimachhara area. Even later they occupied many lands of the surrounding Jummas.