Hill Voice, 24 June 2020, Rangamati: Muslim settlers continue to occupy land owned by a Jumma villager named Nabinchan Chakma in Bagachatar union of Longadu upazila under Rangamati district, despite an embargo imposed by the upazila land administration.
Despite a ban on all activities in the disputed land until a final solution is issued by the Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Longadu Upazila, the Muslim settlers have been digging holes by clearing jungle to plant saplings.
According to local sources, on 24 June 2020 in the morning, the Bengali settlers also cleared the jungle in the disputed land owned by Nabinchan Chakma and made a hole for planting saplings. It is learnt that Muslim settlers cleared the jungle in that place yesterday as well.
However, after receiving information that the Bengali settlers had cleared the jungle and dug holes this morning, Nabinchan Chakma informed the Upazila Executive Officer and Assistant Commissioner (Land) about the incident through the Upazila Land Surveyor Wednesday at around 11:30 am.
As of the writing of this report, no action has been taken by the administration in this regard.
It may be mentioned that on 4 June 2020, Md. Ali Ahmmed Chowdhury, son of late Najumian Chowdhury and Md. Abdul Alim Sarkar, son of Majnu Sarkar of Rangipara of Bagachatar union forcibly occupied 3.0 acres of land owned by Nabinchan Chakma, son of late Bhulsing Chakma of Bagachatar mouza of Longadu upazila and erected a house in the dark of night on this occupied land.
In this context, on 17 June 2020 Tuesday, land owner Nabinchan Chakma submitted an application to the UNO of Longadu Upazila to demolish the illegally constructed house and vacate the land from the settlers.
In response to the application, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kyathowai Prue Marma along with a team of police and a surveyor of the Upazila Land Office went to the disputed land at 12:30 pm on 22 June 2020 to investigate the dispute.
Kankon Chakma, Headman of the concerned mouza, Newton Chakma, Headman of Petanyamachhara Mouza and eminent persons of the area and both the plaintiffs and defendants were present there at that time.
During the on-the-spot investigation, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kyathowai Prue Marma instructed both sides to stop all activities in the disputed land until further orders.
But even though the land owner Nabinchan Chakma complied with the land administration’s ban, the Bengali settlers continue their work for clearing the jungle and digging holes in the land from the day after the ban ignoring government embargo.
