On 17 February 2011 Border Guards of Bangladesh and Muslim settlers attacked the indigenous Buddhist people at Longadu leaving at least 2 indigenous people seriously injured. The aim of the attack was to drive out the indigenous Chakma Buddhists and grab their land. A Chakma couple pick up the pieces after the house was burnt down by the settlers.

Indigenous people boycott the Chairman of Land Commission in Baghaichari and Longadu

On 5 and 6 December 2010 Land Commission chairman retired Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury visited Baghaichari and Longadu under Rangamati district and organised opinion-sharing meetings there. However, there was very low participation of indigenous people in the meetings.

The Longadu meeting was held on 6 December and there was no indigenous person present at the meeting. One indigenous woman who is an Upazila Officer of Women Division and one head teacher of local high school who went there to collect textbooks for his students were picked-up to attend the meeting. The meeting was basically attended by around 100 Muslim settlers who were settled in CHT in 1980s on indigenous people’s land. The Land Commission was created to resolve the land disputes mainly arisen due to forcible occupation of indigenous people’s land by the Muslim settlers.

The meeting was held at Longadu Upazila rest house with the Longadu Upazila Nirbahi Officer in the chair. In his speech, Khademul Islam Chowdhury said that land disputes will be resolved as per applications that were already submitted to the Commission and every body who did not yet apply can submit their application seeking resolution of land disputes. The land disputes will be resolved as per CHT Regulation of 1900 as CHT Accord stipulates, he said.

On the other, in the Baghaichari meeting held on 5 December at upazila hall, no headman and public representative except Upazila Chairman and two Vice Chairmen attended the meeting, though all the headmen and public representatives under Baghaichari upazila were invited to this meeting. However, widows irrespective of Bengali and indigenous people who went to upazila office on that day to collect their widow allowances and indigenous officers and employees were compelled to attend the meeting. Besides, a so-called reformist leader of PCJSS Mr. Sushil Bikash Chakma and a village head named Bishwapriya Chakma were attended the meeting.

After appointment as Chairman of Land Commission, Justice (rtd.) Khademul Islam Chowdhury started to visit the hill districts and held opinion-sharing meetings with district and upazila or sub-district level officers. During his previous tour of the three hill districts on 3-5 August 2009, he unilaterally declared to conduct land survey without consultation with the Land Commission and in violence of the CHT Accord. Further, he issued public notice asking affected land owners to lodge application on land disputes with Land Commission. This notice was issued without consultation with the Land Commission.

With this backdrop, all sections of the citizens including CHT Regional Council and PCJSS and also three circle chiefs protested against the unilateral and controversial activities of the Chairman of Land Commission and demanded removal of Mr. Chowdhury from post of the Chairmanship. However, despite the huge protest from the all sections of the citizens, Mr. Chowdhury still continues his controversial activities including visit to the hill districts and holding opinion-sharing meeting without holding formal meeting of the Commission.

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