On 9 December 2007 the victims of recent land grabbing at a press conference in Dhaka demanded the caretaker government of Dr. Farkruddin Ahmed to immediately put an end to grabbing of indigenous people's land in Mahalchari and other places of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Indigenous victims of land grabbing hold press conference in Dhaka

On 9 December 2007 the victims of recent land grabbing at a press conference in Dhaka demanded the caretaker government of Dr. Farkruddin Ahmed to immediately put an end to grabbing of indigenous people's land in Mahalchari and other places of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The press conference was held at 2:30 p.m. at Reporters Unity Building. The press conference was attended by Biddya Binod Chakma- headman of Kiangghat, Dinendra Lal Chakma- headman of Lemuchari, Gyana Lal Chakma of Gamaridhala and victims of land-grabbing Mr. Shushil Bhushan Chakma and Ms. Angali Chakma. A total of 18 victims and members of Mahalchari Land Protection Committee came to Dhaka for the press conference.

Mr. Biddya Binod Chakma read out a written statement to the journalists present at the press conference. He alleged that during the last nine months the Bangladesh army and the Muslim settlers had forcibly taken away over 366.02 acres of land belonging to 120 indigenous people in Mahalchari. The statement further said that since March 2007 the Muslim settlers took advantage of the 'State of Emergency' rule and forcibly took away indigenous peoples' land with the support of the Bangladesh army. Bangladesh army directly and indirectly instigated and abetted the Muslim settlers to grab indigenous people's land.

Mr. Biddya Binod Chakma accused the local administration of not taking any action to stop land grabbing. He said that they had complained to the local authorities, but did not get justice. He put forward a three-point demand which includes 1. putting an immediate end to land grabbing in Mahalchari and return the grabbed land to their rightful owners; 2. bringing the land grabbers and their abettors to justice and 3. recognition to traditional land laws of the indigenous people. Land-grab victims Mr. Shushil Bhushan Chakma and Ms. Angali Chakma answered the questions of the journalists. In reply to a question, Ms Angali Chakma said that the settlers were constructing houses near their home. When they protested, the settlers told them that the food rations that they get from the government would be stopped if they refused to settle in indigenous peoples' lands.

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