Anvil Chakma

Lurking danger at Jurachhari Health Complex

Jurachhari Upazila Health Complex, the only medical centre for the health services of 40,000 people in Jurachhari, the most remote upazila of Rangamati district, is in a dilapidated condition.

For the love of a language

In a country where people laid down their lives about seventy years ago to uphold the dignity of their mother tongue, Bangla, the struggle is still on to preserve mother tongues of smaller ethnic communities.

Seedless guava, a ray of hope for hill farmers

Seedless guava, a novel species in the country, will hit the market in the next few years alongside the prevalent species of guava, giving farmers a hope for bounty. It is much tastier than other traditional guavas in the country.

Homemade banana chips change her lot

Joshi Chakma, a resident of Khabang Pujje area in khagrachhari town, has changed her lot by making and selling banana chips amid the pandemic.

Chinal: the fruit of the hills and a new source of income for many

Chinal is a jhum fruit. The people of Chittagong Hill Tracts have planted this fruit for years as a companion crop with others.

(Watch) Pineapple chips, a saviour for farmers in the hills

Pineapple chips, an innovative and nutrition-dense snack, are currently being produced at Naniarchar upazila of Rangamati in a bid to help farmers who often do not get a fair price because of a production glut.

Pineapple chips in Rangamati hills: An experiment with bright prospects

Soon it may be time to try pineapple chips, made in Bangladesh!

Mangoes from Rangamati’s Naniarchar being exported to Europe for the first time

Mangoes produced organically in Naniarchar upazila of Rangamati are being exported to several European countries including Italy and the United Kingdom for the first time.

Boisabi limited to indoors

The indigenous communities of the hill tracts will not celebrate their new year amid the coronavirus fears.

World Water Day Today: Water crisis grips Rangamati people as springs, runnels drying up

“All the 35 families in our village have to collect water daily from a distant chhara [spring in the hills]. Our sufferings mount during the dry season,” said Karna Rani Tanchangya, 32, of Debotachari village under Ghagra union of Rangamati’s Kawkhali upazila.

Measles Outbreak: 5 kids die in Rangamati

At least five Tripura children died of measles over last three weeks and 130 others were also infected in Rangamati’s Baghaichhari upazila.

Safety of thousands compromised for decades

Thousands of residents in ten villages under two unions of Dighinala upazila have been risking their lives to cross the Maini river for ages, without a permanent bridge on the hilly river.

Dormitory lies unused for 9yrs

There are bushes inside the boundary wall. The playground has almost become a jungle. Doors and windows are broken.

Hopes big, school small

When reconstruction of Chowdhury Para Government Primary School building was completed back in 1998, its three rooms -- two for classes and the other for administrative purposes -- were probably more than enough for a sparsely populated hill tract upazila such as Kawkhali.

Vermicompost gaining popularity

Vermicomposting, the natural process of converting organic wastes into fertilisers using earthworms, is bringing extra income to many farmers in Rangamati.

Students 12,000, dormitory none

Rangamati Government College (RGC), once regarded as one of the acclaimed educational institutions in the district, has been struggling to live up to expectations for at least two decades now.

Rambutan gaining popularity in Rangamati

In 2008, Somoyon Chakma’s brother brought two seeds of rambutan, a tropical fruit closely related to the litchi, from Thailand. He then grew a rambutan plant in the courtyard of his house from the seeds. After five long years, the tree finally bore fruits in 2013.

Fish cultivation in cages attracts farmers in Rangamati

Fish cultivation in cages set in open water bodies encourages farmers in Rangamati Sadar upazila.

Thousands still live in risk ignoring caution signs

Today marks the second anniversary of 120 lives perished in landslides across Rangamati in 2017.

Rangamati ready to receive tourist

There are many attractive tourist spots in our country including Rangamati, one of the most popular spots for domestic tourist. On this Eid holidays, many of tourist spots in Rangamati, including Sajak Valley, Hanging Bridge, Kaptai Lake, Paulwell Park, Aranyak Peda Ting Ting and Subolong spring, are expecting guests from all over the country.

Trekking 12kms a day for water

Purna Mala Tanchangya straps a basket on her back and carries as many pots and pans as possible to go and collect water at least twice a day from a well that is about two to three kilometres away.

Love for orchid

A nature lover is working hard to preserve rare varieties of orchids that bloom on the hills in Khagrachhari.

Biju brings festivity to the hills

A three-day-long colourful Biju festival of the Chattogram Hill Tracts began in the district yesterday.

Pineapple delight

Even though the time pineapples usually ripen fall between the months of May and June, the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) get the fruit at its sweetest at this time of the year as well.

CHT Theatre Festival concludes

The three-day CHT Theatre Festival, organised by Khudro Nrighosti Cultural Institute and supported by Rangamati Hill District Council,

Bridge lying collapsed for two years

About 300 families at four villages in Naniarchar upazila of the district are in dire straits since the lone bridge they use for daily communications collapsed due to heavy rain and impact of landslides about two years ago.

Tasty fruit, hefty profit

Madhusudan Talukder started planting orange saplings on two acres of land in Rangamati's Naniarchar upazila in 2007. By 2014, half of his 700 trees yielded fruits ready for sale.

Hills lush again

Village common forest (VCF), a system to conserve forest and natural resources through collective efforts of indigenous people, is getting popular in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region as the method significantly contributes to combating deforestation and degradation of ecosystem.

Longadu attack: Victims in hardship

Over a year into the arson attack, the indigenous families in Rangamati's Longadu are yet to get houses. They are still living at small huts beside their burnt houses near a jungle amid great hardship.

Turkey farms doing well in hills

Like most graduates, when Rangamati resident Piyal Chakma finished his degree in textiles in 2011, he hoped for a good job.

Rambutan starts rocking Rangamati

Rambutan, a tropical fruit closely related to the litchi, has started making its bright colourful appearance in Rangamati.

Warning falling on deaf ears

A signboard on a corner of Simultoli ominously declares: “Identified as a landslide-prone area. Settlement prohibited.” A sudden clap of thunder increases the sense of foreboding.

Longadu Attack: Victims left in the lurch for a year

Indigenous families, who became homeless in last years' arson attack in Longadu upazila, are yet to be rehabilitated.

Joy of Biju elusive for victims

Biju, the main social festival of the Chakma people in Chittagong Hill Tracts, will bring no cheers for the indigenous community in

Long wait gets longer

Eight long months after the notorious arson attack by Bangalee settlers on indigenous homes and shops in Rangamati's Longadu upazila,

Kayaks prove popular

Around four thousand years ago the Inuit, Yup'ik and Aleut peoples of the North American Arctic invented kayaks. Originally constructed of stitched seal skin stretched over a wooden or whalebone frame, the canoe-like boats

Malta brings smile to Rangamati growers

Malta cultivation is becoming very popular with farmers in Baghaichhari upazila of the district as it is a profitable crop.

Longadu Fire: 3 months on, they're still homeless

More than three months after the burning down of indigenous people's houses in Longadu upazila of Rangamati, it now seems to be a

The Moanoghar

(Our land, our house: This is our Moanoghar. Sad or happy, we live here maintaining our brotherhood.)

Natural carp breeding in Kaptai Lake

Rangamati's 700-square-metre Kaptai Lake once teemed with fish but for many years naturally occurring fish stocks have been in

Still unfit for traffic

Rangamati-Khagrachhari link road, which was damaged by landslide on June 13, is still unfit for vehicular

Longadu Attack: Many victim families yet to return home

The indigenous families in Rangamati's Longadu could not return home even a month after the attack on them on June 2. They are

A different Eid in Rangamati after disaster

A very different Eid-ul-Fitr is prevailing through Rangamati – the area that saw one of the worst series of landslides in a decade that killed 120 people there. The district officials have scrapped all their official programmes to spend time with the landslide victims who have taken refuge in the local shelter homes.

Victims not getting rice meant for them

The sack of rice supposed to be given to her has been taken by political leaders of her neighbourhood in Rangamati.

Rangamati still alarmed as rain yet to let up

As it continued to rain yesterday, people kept coming to the shelters for landslide victims in Rangamati.

Supplies, prices not normal yet

Four days after deadly landslides hit Rangamati killing at least 114 people, the supply of essentials, including food, was yet to become normal yesterday. Most of the daily essentials were still selling at higher prices despite market monitoring by the district administration. However, the prices were lower than they were in previous three days.

Water, fuel crises hit Rangamati

After Tuesday's devastating landslides that killed at least 108 people in Rangamati, the stock of fuel ran out in the hill district yesterday amid shortage of food and medicine. There was no supply of electricity there for three days until last night, triggering a serious water crisis. The power supply resumed at 10:05pm.

Rangamati in food, fuel crisis

The situation in Rangamati, that witnessed a devastating series of landslides in a decade which claimed 108 lives, is turning grave. Barely two days have passed and food, power and fuel crisis has struck the district. With road links off and monsoon weather, fears are on that things might worsen.

February 22, 2021