Govt urged to give indigenous people deeds of their lands

Leaders of Bangladesh Adivasi Odhikar Andolan, an organisation working for ethnic rights, yesterday demanded the caretaker government provide title deeds to indigenous people for their land and cancel the previously declared government khas lands in their areas.
They also urged the caretaker government to form a separate land commission for the indigenous people and reactivate the Chittagong Hill Tracts land commission.
"Most of the indigenous people do not have deeds of their own land. Taking this opportunity, a number of dishonest Bangalee people forged documents and are grabbing indigenous people's lands," said Dhaka University Prof Mesbah Kamal, general secretary of the Adivasi Odhikar Andolan, at the press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Giving an example, he said a number of Bangalee criminals of Sheikhpara in Naogaon, led by a local BNP cadre, attacked 17 indigenous families of Kazipara on October 5 that left 15 injured.
The gang with the help of local administration has already grabbed the land saying they leased the land from the government in 1991, Mesbah Kamal said.
Bangladesh Adivashi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong said land grabber Idris Ali led the BNP cadres in beating 17 indigenous men, women and children. They set fire to their houses and looted their belongings but Patnitala Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) Sagir Uddin now threatens the indigenous people rather than arresting the attackers, he claimed.
"Indigenous people are deprived of their right to land in different places. In the Naogaon incident, the main accused is yet to be arrested even after the news was published in different newspapers," he said.
He demanded arrest of Idris Ali and his gang and the dismissal of OC Sagir Uddin.
Subol Lakra, one of the victims of October 5 attack, said five indigenous people are still in hospital but the government is not helping them.
Among others, indigenous leaders Rakhi Dron, Kerina Hasda and a number of victims of the Naogaon incident were present at the conference.