More than two weeks after the latest attack on an indigenous community and their betel leaf garden, the mainstay of their livelihood, at Nunchhara Punji in Karmadha union of Kulaura upazila, the authorities are yet to take any action against the offenders. 

On February 20, four residents of the punji (village) sustained severe injuries when a group of outsiders, accompanied by members of the forest department under Noldori bit in Kulaura, attacked the villagers with local weapons in their attempt to take possession of the ancestral land belonging to the villagers, said Bobrin Tongper, the headman of the punji.

A case was filed in this connection with Kulaura Police Station, accusing Liton Mia, Renu Mia, Elaich Mia, Fazlu Mia, Junab Mia, Amir Ali, Rupali Mia, Jabed Mia, Dulan Mia, Tota Mia, Dudu Mia, Farzan Mia and other unknown individuals.   

Another case was filed with the police station against the same offenders after a similar attack on the village, inhabited by around one hundred indigenous families, was thwarted on November 21, 2020. That day, the attackers destroyed around 10,000 betel leaf plants while trying to forcibly occupy their ancestral land.

Urging the government to take immediate steps for protecting the community from further attacks, headman Bobrin said, "Some of the plants were 15 to 20 years old and started producing betel leaves. If such attacks continue, we will lose our only source of income and simply starve to death."

Robet Marchiang, a villager who was injured in the recent attack, said, "Betel leaf is our only source of income. The criminals shattered my hope when they destroyed my betel leaf plants. I don't know how I will now support my six-member family without the resource."

Most of the people in the indigenous community have no other occupation and it would be impossible for many of the families to survive without the betel leaf plants as well as their ancestral land, said Agnes Rabon, a teacher at the village.

Liton Mia, one of the accused, however, refuted the accusations, saying, "We are not involved in it.

Agnes Rabon, far right, with three other members of the indigenous community after the recent attack on their ancestral land. The photos were taken recently. Photo: Mintu Deshwara

"On the day of the incident, some of the beneficiaries along with Kulaura range officer of the forest department and Noldori bit officer went to visit Nunchhara where the indigenous people undermined social forestry on the hills to grow their betel leaf garden," he also claimed.

The Daily Star was unable to obtain comments from Elaich Mia, Dulon Mia and Fazlu Mia as their cell phones were found unreachable despite several attempts.

Contacted, SM Sajjad Hossain, divisional forest officer for Sylhet, also denied the allegation. He said, "We went to the place to carry out government work, not to attack. On the contrary, a scuffle broke out when the punjee residents attacked our people and local Bangalees resisted it."

"If someone does anything to occupy the forestland, we will take action. The injured [on our side] have filed cases with the local police station for creating obstruction to government work," he also said.

Kulaura Police Station Officer-in-Charge Binoy Bhushan Roy said the cases filed by the forest department and the indigenous people are under investigation.

Expressing concerns over the recurring attacks on Nunchhara Punji, human rights and indigenous community leaders urged the government to protect the ancestral land belonging to indigenous communities on plain land by forming a dedicated land commission for them.

Father Joseph Gomes OMI, a central committee executive member of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, said, "The problem faced by indigenous communities is nothing new.

"The indigenous people don't have land deeds. It has been this way for a long time. Hence, it isn't possible to solve this problem without the government's goodwill."

Flora Bably Talang, general secretary of KUBORAZ Inter-Punjee Development Association of Indigenous People, said,

"Indigenous people of the plain land have been living without land deeds for generations. The government should take immediate steps to find out how the land can be given [permanently] to the indigenous people. Otherwise, this problem will not be resolved."

Demanding the forming of a land commission for the indigenous communities on plain land, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum central committee General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong said the land belongs to the indigenous community as per 'ILO Convention-107'.