Protect ethnic groups from land grabbers

Ethnic minority people formed a human chain in Nimtola area under Phulbari upazila town of the district yesterday to press their five-point demands including recovery of a decimal of grabbed land.

Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (JAP) organised the hour-long programme from 11:00am.

Their demands include recovery of a decimal of land of Prodhan Mardi and Montu Murmu at Pukhurimor, arrest of alleged land grabber Sohrab Ali, identification of the criminals who issued death threat to ethnic people, stopping of harassment by law enforcers in the name of arbitration at Phulbari Police Station, steps by the government to protect their land from grabbers by forming a separate land commission.

The land grabbers cannot check their greed on just a decimal of land of ethnic groups, alleged Hopna Kisku, president of JAP of Phulbari unit, at the programme.

The ethnic minority people of the area constantly have been receiving death threat from the land grabbers whenever they come forward to recover the land.

In this regard, the participants at the human chain questioned the role of police as they are always supporting the grabbers and harassed the ethnic people in the name of arbitration at the police station.

They also urged the government to form a separate land commission for the ethnic people living in plain land areas of the country. 

Bikash Mardi, general secretary of Phulbari upazila unit of JAP, its secretary Sagien Hasda and organisational secretary Shivlal Tudu, among others, spoke at the programme.

Later, they handed over a memorandum to Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ahtesham Reza who assured them of looking into the demands.

Contacted, accused Sohrab Ali said he purchased the piece of land from Montu Murmu.

Despite repeated calls, this correspondent could not reach Mokshed Ali, officer-in-charge of the police station, as he did not receive the caln.