People from the Rakhine community in Patuakhali are slowly being driven out of the country as their properties continue to be grabbed, civil society members claimed at a press conference yesterday.

The 14-member delegation recently visited several Rakhine villages at Patuakhali's Kalapara and Sadar upazila.

"Patuakhali had at least 144 Rakhine villages... the number is now 26," said Prof Robaet Ferdous of mass communication and journalism at DU. Zakir Hossain of Nagorik Uddog and Shamsul Huda of ALRD spoke at the event conducted by Myentthein Promila of Adivasi Forum.