18 hurt in a clash between BGB and indigenous villagers regarding land disputes in Dighinala
On 10 June 2014, at least 18 people including several women were injured in a clash between indigenous peoples and members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over setting up of a battalion headquarters in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachari district.
It is reported that on that day when BGB personnel tried to plant a flag at the proposed site of thecamp at Babuchhara under Dighinala upazila, dozens of indigenous women protested, and got into an altercation with the BGB men saying the land belonged to them.The argument led to clashes that left several indigenous people and BGB members wounded.Police later went to the spot, and fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
Indigenous villagers claimed that BGB has taken an initiative to acquire 31.63 acres of land belonging to the people of three indigenous villages namely Santosh Kumar Karbari Para, Gobinda Karbari Para and Notun Chandra Karbari Para in Dighinala upazila in Khagrachari district in order to establish battalion Headquarters. There is not only land of indigenous families, there is land of a primary school and Buddhist temple. As a result of this initiative,at least 21 indigenous families were evicted and lose their ancestral lands. The primary school where 200 students are studying will be closed down. There is a helipad, an Ansar camp and an army camp on 5.20 acres of land in the identified area. The helipad was established on 2.00 acres of recorded land of one Bajaram Chakma, the army camp was constructedon the 2.20 acres recorded of land of late Lalit Mohan Chakma and the Ansar camp was set up on 1.00 acre of recorded land of Mano Ranjan Chakma.
BGB claimed that as per government rules, they acquired the land for the BGB at Babuchhara in 1991. Fearing eviction, local indigenous people filed a writ petition with higher court against the move.
Names of victims of the incident are:
1. Jharna Chakma, 35, wife of Dharma Ratan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
2. Prandevi, 32, wife of Prem Ranjan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
3. Fulrani Chakma, 30, Husband- Sneha Ranjan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
4. Pinki Chakma, wife of Chanba Ratan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
5. Surati Chakma, 32, wife of Juba Mohan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
6. Angabi Chakma, 33, wife of Sukhamoy Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
7. Gopa Chakma, 35, wife of Fulmoy Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
8. Maya Rani Chakma, 33, wife of Pradip Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
9. Madhurika Chakma, 32, wife of Kiran Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
10. Kamala Ratan Chakma, 37, son of Surjoy Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
11. Chameli Chakma, 32, wife of kamala Ratan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
12. Angadevi Chakma, 32, wife of Kamala Ranjan Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
13. Sontosh Kumar Karbari, 70, wife of late Shashi Mohan Karbari of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
14. Ananda Bala Chakma, 35, wife of Kamal Kumar Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
15. Shymolika Chakma, 32, wife of Shyam Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
16. Sadhana Chakma, 33, wife of Mangal Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
17. Sonadevi Chakma, 32, wife of Gopajoy Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
18. Subarna Chakma, 33, wife of Shaymal Chakma of Jatna Mohon Karbari Para;
On 12 June 2014, BGB filed a false case against 100 unknown local indigenous Jumma people due to camp vandalism. In this case, BGB included two dead persons and one lawyer asdefendant in order to harass them.On that day local indigenous people brought out a procession against setting up BGB camp in Dighinal upazila. On 13 June 2014, police arrested Pradip Chakma and another unknown Jumma person of Jotno Kumar Karbari Para on their way work. Police also raided their village and closed their village road down.
