Shantu vows to stop it, Shajahan to pursue
Bangladesh Adibashi Forum President Shantu Larma vowed resistance to controversial eco-parks, prompting a counterpoint from Environment and Forest Minister Shajahan Siraj yesterday that the Modhupur forest conservation project would go ahead without harming indigenous people.
Larma, also chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council, at a protest rally on Sunday afternoon at Modhupur, 50 kilometres north of Tangail town, blamed the minister for the killing of Piren Snal in police and forest guard fire during an anti-conservation plan demonstration on January 3.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Piren joined the demonstration of Modhupur Garos who feared the project the forest department took up in 2000 would threaten their traditional lifestyle.
"The minister promised steps to protect the rights of indigenous people, but he did not keep it," Larma told the rally at Jainagachha Missionary Primary School as chief guest.
"Indigenous people have been exploited and deprived of their rights not only in Modhupur, but in Patuakhali and Dinajpur as well," Larma alleged.
He called for unity among the 25 lakh indigenous people in Bangladesh to establish their rights and underscored a mass movement against what he said was the misrule of the government.
"Fundamentalism, crime and corruption have taken centre stage in politics. All governments stoked communalism," Larma alleged.
Professor Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University, Pankaj Bhatta-charya, leader of Gono Forum, and Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adibashi Forum, addressed the rally, also attended by Piren's widow and two children.
Sanjeeb accused officials of bribing higher authorities for transfer to the forest department and exacting the money through illegal logging of trees in the 21,000-acre Modhupur National Park.
He also accused the officials of shifting the blame onto the indigenous people and filing false cases against them, adding the Garos were implicated in up to 30 cases of illegal logging.
In Dhaka yesterday, the forest minister at a press conference defended his position on the eco-parks and said: "No locals will be evicted because of the Modhupur project. Traditional farming will not be hindered and no toll will be slapped on people's movement in the project area."
He promised that the project would not harm traditional lifestyle and heritage -- a concern that wrecked the Garos over the years.
The minister claimed the government complied with most demands of the indigenous people and both parties reached a consensus.
"But a set of people is trying to mislead the indigenous people and create anarchy in the project area," Shajahan said referring to Larma's visit to Modhupur.
"The project is intended to protect biodiversity and open a sanctuary for birds and animals," he said, adding a plan was laid out to protect about-to-be-extinct plant species and wildlife, constructing a 61,000ft long wall around 3,000 acres of forestland.
On the installation of recreational infrastructure like cottages and picnic spots, State Minister for Environment and Forest Zafrul Islam Chowdhury said: "We are only developing some facilities outside the boundary wall, where thousands of people usually go for recreation."
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