Reza Mahmud back from Khagrachhari :
Bangalees in cluster villages of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are passing hard days as they compelled to live in very congested places in inhuman living conditions. They have demanded immediate end of the situation.
They have long been deprived of their homes and lands allotted by the government following the tribal groups’ terrorist acts, they alleged.
“You see more than 400 Bangalee families have been living here in this cluster village in a very congested way. Many members of these families are now living alongwith cows and other animals in the same room due to shortage of spaces. But we are bound to live in these conditions because the administration has directed us not to go our own homes and lands which were allotted earlier by the government. Our allotted lands are now occupied by the tribal men,” Jahurul Haque, 65, a freedom fighter, has told The New Nation.
Jahurul was talking with this correspondent recently in Chengrachhari cluster village in Mohalchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district
where he lives with 400 Bangalee families.
He said he came here in the CHT from Kurigram district alongwith other 171 families from greater Rangpur district in 1981. The then government had allotted lands in the CHT to families victims of river erosion from different districts. But the tribal armed groups started frequent attacks on those families. They even torture, kidnap and kill the children of those families almost every day. In these circumstances, the Administration closed most of those families in some cluster villages in different areas of CHT.
Among them, 56 Bangalee families have been rehabilitated in the Chengrachhari cluster village. But the number of those families are now reached to 400.
“A cluster village has been created to live 65 families in only 25 decimals of lands. But now it accommodates 400 families. Family numbers have increased so high but lands are the same. How it is possible! But we are undone! We are bound to live in this tiny area,” said Sirajul Islam, an old man in his 70s.
Freedom fighter Jahurul Haque and Sirajul Islam alongwith other Bangalees there said that the government also allotted each of them around four acres of land for cultivation. But they even cannot keep their footsteps into the agro lands due to the threats of the tribal armed groups.
According to official data, there are 86 cluster villages in CHT, where 26,000 of families accommodated. Several lakh people of those villages are dependent on nominal rations from the government. They said that the families have increased five times but ration cards did not increase. So, they have been living by those very little foods to live.
Bangalee people cannot cultivate on their own lands there but they are working as day-labour to the tribal people’s agro lands.
Abu Bakr, a 60-year old man, also narrated the similar incident. He said after rehabilitation in a hilly area of Mubachhari of Mohal Chhari in 1981, the tribal armed groups kidnapped and killed his five years old son.
He said, “Then I have gone to the Chakma Head Man who was wellknown to me. I said him uncle please return my minor boy. He assured me to return my son, but did not. Then I left my home and land and came to this cluster village.” The Banalgees hoped for long that one day the situation would change and they may be able to return to their lands and homes. But the amended law for CHT has created new anxious for them.
Bangalees in cluster villages of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are passing hard days as they compelled to live in very congested places in inhuman living conditions. They have demanded immediate end of the situation.
They have long been deprived of their homes and lands allotted by the government following the tribal groups’ terrorist acts, they alleged.
“You see more than 400 Bangalee families have been living here in this cluster village in a very congested way. Many members of these families are now living alongwith cows and other animals in the same room due to shortage of spaces. But we are bound to live in these conditions because the administration has directed us not to go our own homes and lands which were allotted earlier by the government. Our allotted lands are now occupied by the tribal men,” Jahurul Haque, 65, a freedom fighter, has told The New Nation.
Jahurul was talking with this correspondent recently in Chengrachhari cluster village in Mohalchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district
where he lives with 400 Bangalee families.
He said he came here in the CHT from Kurigram district alongwith other 171 families from greater Rangpur district in 1981. The then government had allotted lands in the CHT to families victims of river erosion from different districts. But the tribal armed groups started frequent attacks on those families. They even torture, kidnap and kill the children of those families almost every day. In these circumstances, the Administration closed most of those families in some cluster villages in different areas of CHT.
Among them, 56 Bangalee families have been rehabilitated in the Chengrachhari cluster village. But the number of those families are now reached to 400.
“A cluster village has been created to live 65 families in only 25 decimals of lands. But now it accommodates 400 families. Family numbers have increased so high but lands are the same. How it is possible! But we are undone! We are bound to live in this tiny area,” said Sirajul Islam, an old man in his 70s.
Freedom fighter Jahurul Haque and Sirajul Islam alongwith other Bangalees there said that the government also allotted each of them around four acres of land for cultivation. But they even cannot keep their footsteps into the agro lands due to the threats of the tribal armed groups.
According to official data, there are 86 cluster villages in CHT, where 26,000 of families accommodated. Several lakh people of those villages are dependent on nominal rations from the government. They said that the families have increased five times but ration cards did not increase. So, they have been living by those very little foods to live.
Bangalee people cannot cultivate on their own lands there but they are working as day-labour to the tribal people’s agro lands.
Abu Bakr, a 60-year old man, also narrated the similar incident. He said after rehabilitation in a hilly area of Mubachhari of Mohal Chhari in 1981, the tribal armed groups kidnapped and killed his five years old son.
He said, “Then I have gone to the Chakma Head Man who was wellknown to me. I said him uncle please return my minor boy. He assured me to return my son, but did not. Then I left my home and land and came to this cluster village.” The Banalgees hoped for long that one day the situation would change and they may be able to return to their lands and homes. But the amended law for CHT has created new anxious for them.
