Hill Voice, 13 June 2023, Bandarban: A press conference was held in Lama upazila of Bandarban against the encroachment of indigenous people’s lands by settler Bengalis.

Today Tuesday (June 13, 2023) in the Lama Press Club auditorium at noon people of the remote hilly Raja and Gatiram Para held this press conference against Md. Giyas Uddin and Union Parishad member Mohammad Hossain Mamun, resident of Bogaichari village of Phansiakhali union of the upazila.

Chandra Moni Tripura, son of Hari Chandra Tripura, a resident of Gatiram Para, read the written statement there. At that time, the victim Hari Chandra Tripura, Kyawching Mro, Boli Chandra Tripura along with the village Karbari Kishtarang Tripura and others were present. In the press conference, old man Hari Chandra Tripura said, “I will commit suicide if someone seizes my own land by force. Because I have no other land except this land. This land is the only source of income for my family members.”

It is known through the press conference that in 2004, Hari Chandra Tripura based on headman report having cultivated two acres of first-class and three acres of second-class land has been enjoying it by creating a farm house and various fruit and forest plantations. Similarly, the nearby Kyawhing Mro based on No.112 Holding is also enjoying three acres of third and two acres of second-class land by cultivating and creating dwelling house and various fruit and forest plantations. There is a 25 acres rubber plot in the name of Abdur Razzak, a resident of Bogaichari village.

But after the death of Abdur Razzaq, the heirs Giyas Uddin and Mohammad Hossain Mamun are trying to grab the hard-earned lands of Hari Chandra Tripura and Kyawching Mro by showing the rubber plot papers. Not only that, the opponents in 2017 urgently engaged 9-10 workers to take over the land and cut down the saplings of various trees including 300 banana trees of lands of Hari Chandra Tripura and Kyawching Mro. In this incident, the victims did not get any solution despite complaining to various departments of the administration.

At one stage last May, the land dispute between the two parties was settled through the mediation of local headmen, Karbaris, UP members and dignitaries. But ignoring the settled matter, Giyas Uddin, the younger brother of UP member Hossain Mamun, filed a case under section 145 in the Upazila Nirbahi Magistrate’s Court on May 24, 2023, only for the purpose of harassment.

Kyawching Mro, Thangbui Mro, Boli Chandra Tripura, Hari Chandra Tripura and his son Chandra Mani Tripura, an NGO activist, were named as defendants in the case.