Land grab attempt in Lama
There are allegations of attempting to grab land belonging to indigenous Mro and Tripura people in Lama Upazila of Bandarban district against Dulal Mian, Farooq and their cohorts.
Subhash Tripura and Rubel Tripura told a news portal (the daily messenger) on 21 December: “In the years 1984-85 we obtained land grants of third class 5 acres from the government in Yangcha Mouza, Lama Upazila under Holding No. G-34.”
However, all on a sudden Dulal Mian and Farooq claimed that this is plot of land falls within Chagol-khaiya Mouza No. 293 and tried to occupy it by force, in addition to filing a false case against us, they added.
According to local residents, as the price of land has increased sharply in the recent time due to expansion of tourism industry in Mirinja area, incidents of land grabbing are being reported quite frequently.
“Indigenous Mro people in the nearby village are also facing eviction from their ancestral land” they said.
Lingra Mro said that Dulal Mian and Farooq also filed charges against him as well as Daniel Mro and Somoel Mro although they do not have any issue with them.
Menchang Mro, the head or Karbari of Langi-para in Mirinja, said, “We had been living a happy life until recently. But since the setting up of a tourist resort here, things have changed. Now there has been an increase in the incidents of land grabbing.”
He added: “A land grabbers syndicate has rendered our lives miserable. They are resorting to threats, intimidation and court cases to drive us out of our lands.”
The first two are residents of East Betchara village while the third and the fourth of Tongojhiri-para.
- ARSON ATTACK
Jumma village burnt to ashes in Lama
On the night of 25 December, while the villagers of East Betchara-para in Soroi Union of Lama Upazila in Bandarban district were away to the Church of a nearby village to take part in Christmas celebrations, suspected goons of former Inspector General of Police Benzir Ahmed entered the empty village and burnt the houses of the village to ashes.
Police arrested four suspected arsonists on 26 December after Gangang Moni Tripura filed a case with Lama police station. They are Stiphen Tripura, 50, Moishoi Ma Tripura, 48, Joating Tripura, 52, and Md. Ibrahim.
The Karbari or the head of the village Paisa Pru Tripura told the Prothom Alo, a Bengali language daily, that in November some people had gone to their village and demanded Taka 50,000 from the villagers.
“They threatened us with eviction if we failed to comply with their demand.” he added. He believes those people might have committed the arson attack.
A total of 17 of the total 19 houses of the village, which was established only seven months ago, were burnt down, resulting in the loss of property worth Taka 15 lakhs (US $12,572.25), according to newspaper reports.
The land on which the houses were built was in illegal possession of former Inspector General of Police Benzir Ahmed, who is now under investigation over massive corruption charges and in hiding.
Durjodhan Tripura, acting Headman of Duluchari Mouza, said Mr. Ahmed had grabbed more than 100 acres of Jum land belonging to the Tripura community in Tongozhiri-para area. “Now that the land has been freed, a new village has been set up there.” he added.
