‘Land grabbers’ destroy banana plantation in Bandarban Mro village

Alleged grabbers of jhum land at Dhekichhara Natun Mro Para under Lama upazila in Bandarban have reportedly destroyed a banana plantation in the village. 

The incident took place on Sunday morning when 38 people, including the manager of Lama Rubber Industries Limited, cut down over 3,500 banana trees of the plantation in the remote village, reports our Bandarban correspondent quoting villagers.

"Md Arif, manager of the company, along with 38 staff including Abu Daud, Md. Selim and Raju entered the garden with sharp weapons around 9:00am and completely destroyed the plantation," alleged Reng Yan Mro, karbari of Dhekichhara Natun Mro Para.

"We have informed the police in this regard but they are yet to take any action," karbari Reng Yan Mro alleged.

"The victims informed us that their plantation was destroyed by Lama Rubber Industries Ltd. Police will go there tomorrow to investigate the matter," said Md Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Lama Police Station.

Talking to The Daily Star, Md Arif, manager of Lama Rubber Industries, said, "We have 1,600 acres of land in the area which we got from local administration for a rubber plantation."

"The company earlier grabbed our jhum land and when we protested they threatened us," said Chakaw Mro, a villager.

"We are living miserably in the hills while the local administration and law enforcement agency members are standing by," alleged Kaichid Mro, another villager.  

"We did not grab any jhum land, rather Mro villagers illegally entered and cultivated on our land," Arif said, denying the allegation against the company.