Lama and Alikadam land grabbing (Part-4)

Hill Voice, 31 March 2025, Special Reporter: Outsiders have illegally occupied the Jum-farm land and mouza land on the top of Maraingtong hill in Alikadam of Bandarban district and built a cottage and resort called Meghchura Hill Retreat. The outsiders have occupied this land by showing fake R holding papers in the name of a Mro person and a hundred-year agreement between the Mro person and Joynal Abedin, Chairman of Chaiksyong Union Parishad.

 It is known that Meghchura Hill Retreat has been built on Maraingtong Hill through a huge syndicate with Joynal Abedin, the chairman of Chaiksyong Union Parishad, holding 30% ownership and outsiders from Alikadam Upazila, including singers Tasif Khan and Md. Masum, and Md. Sakhawat Hossain, holding 70% ownership.

The Mro people living on the Maraingtong hill said, “In the past, we used to cultivate Jum on this hill. Since 2022, Chairman Joynal Abedin and several outsiders have come and occupied the Jum land and mouza land and have seized the land on the top of the Maraingtong Jedi hill with a huge syndicate including Joynal Abedin, Chairman of Chaiksyong Union Parishad, outsiders including singers Tasif Khan and Md. Masum, Md. Sakhawat Hossain.”

Menpoy Mro said that the headman of Taifa Mouza, Mongkanu Marma, had given possession to outsiders to build cottages and resorts at the rate of one lakh taka per acre, based on the headman report.

When this reporter called the headman of Taifa Mouza, Mongkanu Marma, he said, “I am a little busy, I will talk to you later. After that, he did not receive any more calls.”

When called Joynal Abedin, Chairman of Chaikyong UP, to inquire about Meghchura Hill Retreat, he said that the land of Meghchura Hill Retreat has been purchased from a Mro and some land has been purchased as per the R holding. He said that the report on the remaining land acquisitions has been taken from the headman.

Meanwhile, Dr. Siraj, Member Shahajan Siraj, Md. Kamal, Md. Yasin and many other individuals have illegally built Badurguha tourist spot in Panir Jhiri of Chinari Bazar area of Ward No. 5 of Chaikyong Union of Chaikyang Mouza.

Earlier, people from Padui Karbari Para, Kairi Para, Chinari Bazar Tripura Para cultivate Jum in the hills.

People from Kairi Para, on condition of anonymity, said, “We are suffering from insecurity afetr building of Badurguha tourist spot. They said that outsiders are trying to occupy the hills here by using fake documents in various ways and take over the land.”

In this regard, Dr. Siraj said, “Badurguha tunnels are a thousand-year contribution of nature. For that, we have been working in the form of an association since 2022 by creating self-employment through the protection of natural monuments, environmental development, and recreation.” He claimed that no land has been occupied here.

Headman of Chaiksyong Mouza, Neomong Marma, said, “I do not know how Dr. Siraj took the land. We are investigating this matter,” he told the reporter.