Hill Voice, 3 December 2024, Rangamati: Planting paddy seedlings in group, Bengali settlers allegedly attempted to grab paddy fields of Jumma people in Bhusanchara union of Barkal upazila under Rangamati hill district.

On Monday (December 29), a group of Bengali settlers numbering 14/15 people started to plant paddy seedlings, around 11 am in Garuchara village of Bhusanchara union under Barkal upazila, at the same locations picking up the ones previously planted by the Jumma farmers. When the land owners and locals tried to prevent, the settlers rushed to them offensively. At one stage, the Bengali settlers went away.

The owners of the land are – (1) Maharani Chakma (50), husband- late Sundar Moni Chakma, her amount of land is 1.5 acres; (2) Doya Dhan Chakma (36), son of- late Bijoy Moni Chakma, his amount of land is 1.0 acre; and (3) Lakshmi Babu Chakma (28), son of- late Bijoy Moni Chakma, his amount of land is 1.0 acre.

It is to be noted that the land is said to have been tried to take possession by the Bengali settlers earlier. Accordingly, in 2007, Uttam Kumar Karbari filed a case in the Rangamati District Judge Court being a plaintiff and in 2016, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff. Even then, defying the court’s verdict, the settlers in group attempted to take possession of the land.

The Bengali settlers strove to occupy the lands were-

(1) Khalil (50), son of- Panu Mia, (2) Panu Mia (80), son of- Mr. Ali, (3) Kamal (27), son of- Khalil, (4) Sohag (32), son of- Sabur Talukdar, (5) Habibur (45), son of- unknown, (6) Dukhu Mia (30), son of- Akram Fakir, (7) Raju (30), son of- unknown, (8) Farid (30), son of- Mihir Uddin, (9) Sabuj (30), son of- Unknown, (10) Golam Rasul (30), son of- Mizan, (11) Kamrul (35), son of- unknown, (12) Suman (35) son of- Unknown, (13) Saku (28), son of- unknown, (14) Arif (22), son of- Akbar, (15) Shaheen (25), son of- Unknown.

All the settlers are from Garuchara settler cluster village in Bhushanchara Union.