Hill Voice, 03 February 2020, Bandarban: On 3 February 2020, the meeting of the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission had been in quorum crisis. Out of 9 members, only Chairman of Land Commission Anowar-Ul Hoque, Bohmong Circle Chief Raja Ucha Prue Chowdhury, Chairman of Bandarban Hill District Council Kya Shwe Hla and Acting Commissioner of Chittagong Division Mohammad Sahab Uddin had attended the meeting. Hence, formal meeting of the Commission could not be held as per schedule. However, informal discussion was held on resolution of the previous meeting held on 23 December 2019, list of internally displaced persons etc. issues. Besides, A T M Kauser, Chief Executive Officer of Bandarban Hill District Council and Zuam Lian Bawm, representative of Chakma Circle Chief and also district president of Movement for Protection of Forest and Land in CHT were present in the meeting.
Prior to the informal meeting held in Bandarban Hill District Council auditorium, the new branch office of the Land Commission office was inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission.
As per declaration, the Bengali Muslim settlers under the banner of Parbatya Chattagram Nagorik Parishad organized a demonstration in the front of Bandarban Hill District Council Gate on 3 February 2020. It is to be mentioned that in a press conference held on 2 February 2020 in Bandarban, the settlers had called strike on 3 February 2020 and declared blockade against the land commission chairman and members. Accordingly, on 3 February the settlers kept the Land Commission Chairman and Members under seizure for almost half an hour. During the barricade, they shouted slogans against the Land Commission chairman-members, the Land Commission Act and Rules thereof while delivering provocative, hate and threatening speeches.
Afterwards, the Parbatya Nagorik Parishad leaders headed by its Convenor Alkach Al-Mamun Bhuiyan, member of the organization Kazi Mujibur Rahman and member of Khagrachari Nagorik Parishad Salma Ahmed submitted a memorandum to the Chairman of Land Commission. The demands of the settlers include: cancellation the present Land Commission; amendment of the Land Commission Act; appointment of equal numbers of Bengali community members in the Land Commission, etc.
It is to be worth mentioning that the Chairman of CHT Regional Council Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma had requested the Chairman of the Commission to hold meeting at Rangamati instead of Bandarban due to insecurity issue in Bandarban. But the Commission Chairman did not pay attention to the request made. Hence, Chairman of CHT Regional Council J B Larma and Chakma Circle Chief Barrister Devasish Roy remained absent in the meeting.
