AROUND 187 Bangladeshi men, women and children belong to indigenous Tripura community tried to cross into Indian territory of Tripura State in face of alleged torture and harassment on Saturday. They were stopped by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and brought back to Bangladesh following a flag meeting between BSF and BGB members later. A report published in a daily on Sunday said, these people belong to Tripura community living in five villages under Kalenga reserve forest in Chunarughat Upazila of Habiganj. This indigenous community people around 600 in number, were rehabilitated there in the 1970s and were given agricultural land inside the forest on conditions that they would in return guard the jungle along with forest employees.
Forest employees alleged that the indigenous villagers were not performing their duties for the last 10-15 days. For this reason there were tension between the indigenous people and the forest employees. On Saturday, there was a war of words between the locals and the forest employees over the issue. Agitated Tripura villagers even attacked the forest office alleged the forest officials. On the other hand, a village headman alleged that Tripura day-labourers are often harassed by forest officials. They further alleged such harassment had increased since the discovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition in Satchhari National Park in Habiganj in 2014. Since that incident forest officials often threaten Tripuras with eviction and tell them to vacate the forest land. There are allegations that forest guards had destroyed some of the Tripura homes about four months ago and evicted some Tripuras from the forest land in Chunarughat. The villagers alleged that around five people went missing from the Tripura villages in the last one week, while their women and children were being harassed routinely.
It seems that tension was prevailing at Kalenga reserve forest since long time. Oppressive dealing of forest employees is the main cause of it. But by all counts these people are the citizens of Bangladesh, hence entitled to enjoy basic fundamental rights elaborated in the Constitution. Nobody can ignore it. Their rights are to be ensured and enforced. Every citizen of this country irrespective of cast, creed, religion and ethnic identity are equal in the eye of law. It is our duty to uphold this spirit. The fact is that some indigenous people felt insecured and tried to left for India; it is an insult for us. No question whether their number was large or small.
Mentionable, the Indian press as well as the government officials often raise the issue of illegal migration of Bangladeshi people, including that of the minority community to India. If such cases of border crossing of indigenous people are allowed then it would be a big problem for the government of Bangladesh too.
It is the responsibility of government and local administration to keep vigilance so as to ensure social harmony and fundamental rights of every citizen well secured.
