Hill Voice, 1 September 2021, Rangamati: A group of army personnel of the Kaptai army Zone of the Bangladesh army hung a warning notice on the recorded land of Jumma in Arachari village of Chitmaram Union in Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati Hill District, stating it was an ‘abandoned camp of security forces’. The notification said, “Any kind of cultivation, construction or settlement is prohibited in that place.”

The army have also called the owners of the land and threatened to put them in jail if they disobeyed their orders and evict all the villagers if the signboard is lost.

The affected owners of the recorded land where the army has put up the signboard are-

(1) Rebati Mohan Chakma, son of Bejamoni Chakma of Arachari village of Ward No. 9 under Chitmaram Union in Kaptai Upazila, 336 No. Arachari Mouza, Land Khatian / Holding No-25, 5.00 acre of land, Settlement Date-09-11 -87;

(2) Mohan Lal Chakma, son of late Mrityujoy Chakma, address as above, Land Khatian / Holding No-36, 5.00 acre of land, Settlement Date-30-12-87;

(3) Premlal Chakma, son of late Mrityujoy Chakma, address as above, Land Khatian / Holding No-29, 5.00 acre of land, Settlement Date-29-12-87;

(4) Jibanta Tanchangya, son of Joy Kumar Tanchangya, address as above, Land Khatian / Holding No-14/36, 5.00 acre of land, Settlement Date-24-11-16;

(5) Rojabi Chakma, wife of late Chikanya Chakma, address as above, land khatian / holding no-28, 5.00 acre of land, settlement date-29-12-87;

(6) Usha Marma, son of late Ganja Marma, address as above, Land Khatian / Holding No-21, 5.00 acre of land, Settlement Date-29-04-87.

According to local sources, at around 10:00 am on August 12, 2021, a group of army comprising 20 personnel led by a captain of the Kaptai Island Army Camp under the Kaptai Army Zone went to the spot and hung the signboard.

The army commander then ordered the six owners of the land concerned, “No houses, plantations or farms can be developed in the abandoned camp place of the security forces. If anyone disobeys our instructions, we will put them in jail and if the signboard is lost, all the villagers will be evicted.”

It may be mentioned that before the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord on December 2, 1997, the army had set up an army camp in the land. However, soon after the signing of the CHT Accord, the army camp was withdrawn from the site as per the terms of the Accord.

But locals have recently accused the army of trying to evict the Jumma villagers in the name of re-establishing army camp there in violation of the CHT Accord.