পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম ভূমিবিরোধ নিষ্পত্তিতে ট্রাইব্যুনাল প্রস্তুত

পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম ভূমিবিরোধ নিষ্পত্তিতে ট্রাইব্যুনাল প্রস্তুত

অরুণ কর্মকার | তারিখ: ০১-১১-২০১০

পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম চুক্তি অনুযায়ী ওই অঞ্চলের ভূমিবিরোধ নিষ্পত্তির জন্য গঠিত ভূমি কমিশন এখন ট্রাইব্যুনাল হিসেবে কাজ করার প্রস্তুতি শেষ করেছে। ভূমি কমিশনের একটি সভায় এই প্রস্তুতি সম্পর্কে আলোচনা হবে এবং তার পরই বিরোধের নিষ্পত্তি চেয়ে আবেদনকারীদের কাগজপত্রসহ ট্রাইব্যুনালে হাজির হতে বলা হবে। পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম ভূমি কমিশন ও সংশ্লিষ্ট সরকারি সূত্রে এ খবর জানা গেছে।
যাঁরা এখনো আবেদন করেননি, তাঁদের আবেদনও গ্রহণ করবে ভূমি কমিশন। ভূমি কমিশনের পূর্ণ মেয়াদজুড়েই আবেদন গ্রহণ ও পর্যায়ক্রমে তার নিষ্পত্তির কাজ চলবে। প্রতিটি ক্ষেত্রে ট্রাইব্যুনালের রায় বা আদেশ অনুযায়ী স্থানীয় প্রশাসনের সহায়তায় বৈধ মালিককে তাঁর ভূমির দখল বুঝিয়ে দেওয়া হবে।
সূত্রগুলো জানায়, ২১ অক্টোবর প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনার সঙ্গে অনুষ্ঠিত বৈঠকের সিদ্ধান্তের পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে ভূমি কমিশন ভূমিবিরোধ যথাসম্ভব দ্রুত নিষ্পত্তির উদ্যোগ নিয়েছে। ইতিমধ্যে প্রায় পাঁচ হাজার বিরোধ নিষ্পত্তির আবেদন কমিশনে জমা পড়েছে। এর মধ্যে দেড় থেকে দুই হাজার আবেদন শুনানির জন্য প্রস্তুত করা হয়েছে। ভূমি কমিশন ট্রাইব্যুনাল হিসেবে সংশ্লিষ্ট পক্ষগুলোর শুনানি গ্রহণ করে বিরোধ নিষ্পত্তির আদেশ দেবেন।
এই ট্রাইব্যুনাল বসার আগে ভূমি কমিশনের একটি বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠানের তারিখ নির্ধারণের জন্য আলোচনা চলছে, যেন কমিশনের সব সদস্য বৈঠকে উপস্থিত থাকতে পারেন।
বিষয়টি সম্পর্কে জানতে চাইলে পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম ভূমি কমিশনের চেয়ারম্যান বিচারপতি খাদেমুল ইসলাম চৌধুরী গত শুক্রবার প্রথম আলোকে বলেন, ভূমিবিরোধ নিষ্পত্তির কাজ দ্রুত শুরু করার জন্য কমিশন সচিবালয় যেসব কার্যক্রম গ্রহণ করেছে, কমিশনের একটি পূর্ণাঙ্গ বৈঠকে তা আলোচনার পরই ট্রাইব্যুনাল বসবে। বৈঠকের পর আবেদনকারীদের হাজিরার তারিখ দেওয়া হবে।
চেয়ারম্যান আরও বলেন, কমিশনই ট্রাইব্যুনাল হিসেবে বসবে। সাক্ষ্য-প্রমাণ নিয়ে বিরোধ নিষ্পত্তি করবে। কমিশনের আদেশ অনুযায়ী যিনি যেটুকু ভূমির মালিকানা পাবেন, তাঁকে সরেজমিনে সেটুকু জমি মেপে দখল বুঝিয়ে দেওয়া হবে। দখল বুঝিয়ে দিতে স্থানীয় প্রশাসনের সহায়তা দরকার হবে বলে তিনি উল্লেখ করেন।
বিচারপতি খাদেমুল ইসলাম চৌধুরী বলেন, ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত ও সংশ্লিষ্ট সবাই ট্রাইব্যুনালের সামনে হাজির হয়ে নিজ নিজ বক্তব্য পেশের সমান সুযোগ পাবেন। সবার জন্য এই সুযোগ সৃষ্টি করা কমিশনের আইনি বাধ্যবাধকতা ও দায়িত্ব। তিনি বলেন, প্রায় দুই হাজার আবেদন শুনানির জন্য প্রস্তুত আছে বলে কমিশন সচিবালয় তাঁকে জানিয়েছে। এই আবেদনগুলো দিয়েই শুনানি শুরু হবে এবং তা পর্যায়ক্রমে চলবে। একই সঙ্গে চলবে নতুন আবেদন গ্রহণ এবং তা শুনানির জন্য প্রস্তুত করার কাজও।

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courtesy: prothom-alo.

Multicultarising secularism through constitutional recognition of Adibashis

Photo: Devasish Roy WangzaDevasish Roy Wangza

The idyllic non-communalism
Thanks to the Supreme Court's judgment in the fifth amendment case, we are on board the ship of state, about to journey back to a secular Bangladesh. Anyone who believes in non-discrimination -- which is a peremptory norm of international human rights law -- cannot but be happy with this. We would, however, be living in a fool's paradise if we thought that we could return to that idyllic land that the framers of our Constitution dreamed of in 1972: a society free of "communalism (o-shamprodayikota) in all its forms" and one in which there is no "abuse of religion for political purposes" (original Article 12, Constitution of Bangladesh). Freedom from the various forms of 'communalism' (read racism) can only come if our Constitution not only gets back its stolen pillar of secularism, but is also supplemented with provisions that expressly, accurately and respectfully acknowledge the identities of the different peoples that have lived in Bangladesh since time immemorial.
Our secular heritage
No doubt, communalism -- or religion-based discrimination, or racism (especially where perpetrated through state power) -- was the greatest threat to social progress and democratic practices from 1947 to 1971, when we found ourselves huddled into the state of Pakistan, which had religious identity as its raison d'etre. Our tryst with 'Pakistanihood' was necessarily uncomfortable at best and stifling and oppressive at worst, because the legacy bequeathed to us by the forbears of our ancient heritage impelled us, as a society, to remain tolerant and multicultural. We could, and still do, recall the proud heritage of the multicultural and secular Bangladeshi rulers of the past: of the Buddhist Pala civilisation, the Hindu Sena rajas, the Muslim sultans and nawabs and Adibashi rajas and chiefs. Blood was spilt over land, wealth and people, but never over religion. The torch of secularism was carried, equally vigorously by so many of our poets and philosophers: from Lalon Fakir to Hasan Raja, Nazrul Islam to Shamsur Rahman.
From 1972 to 2010
However, the circumstances of 2010 are so very different to those of 1972, at least in some very fundamental respects. In 1972, we were trying to rid ourselves of the hangover of a religion-based identity that purported to subsume the cultural identities of the different peoples of Bangladesh. The medicine given was secularism. It did make sense in many contexts. Or so some would say. But where it concerned the identity of those peoples who now choose to call themselves Adibashi, it was regarded as assimilative. We may recall Manobendra Narayan Larma's one-man walkout from the Constituent Assembly in 1972, when his demands of multiculturism fell upon deaf ears. Larma rejected the Constitution because the national identity that was espoused in 1972 was monocultural; oriented around an identity based upon Bangaleeness, which again minoritised the indigenous peoples; this time on account of ethnicity and language, rather than religion (while in 1947, it was religion). But let me come to that later.

For the full version of this article please read this month's Forum, available free with The Daily Star on November 1.Devasish Roy Wangza is the Chakma Raja and Chief of the Chakma Circle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, an advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a member-designate to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Selected extracts from the November issue of Forum

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courtesy: the daily star

Land acquisition process restarts in Ruma?

THE process of land acquisition for expansion of Ruma garrison in the
southern CHT district of Bandarban seems to have restarted.

On 24 and 31 October, Ruma zone commander Lt. Col. Wasim held meetings
with local Jumma headmen, Karbaris (village heads) and village elders
in this regard, an elected Jumma representative told chtnews.com on
condition of anonymity.

Lt. Col. Wasim was the commander of Baghaihat zone when attacks on
Jumma villages took place on 19 – 20 February this year, resulting in
the death of at least four Jumma villagers and burning down of over
400 houses.

“The commander asked the Jummas to show him their land documents and
told them that the process of land acquisition for the expansion of
Ruma garrison will restart soon”, he further said quoting meeting
sources.

The army has been trying to acquire some 9,560 acres of land in Ruma
since 1977. However, no government in the past, including the
immediate past military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed,
has approved of the proposal considering the likely environmental and
cultural damage that it would cause to the area and the people.

If implemented, the project will displace thousands of Jummas, mainly
from Mro community and destroy the greenery of the area.
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source: chtnews.com

Settlers attempt to grab land in Ramgarh reported by chtnews.com on October 29th

Settlers attempt to grab land in Ramgarh reported by chtnews.com on October 29th


A GROUP of settlers have made an attempt to grab lands belonging to
the Jumma people in Baro Kalapani village under Ramgarh Upazila in
Khagrachari district.

Sources said a group of 15 – 20 settlers led by Karim Ullah (35),
president of Jubo League Patachara Union No. 9, went to Baro Kalapani
village mounting on a jeep at 12:15pm today, Friday, (29.10.2010) and tried to
occupy lands belonging to the Jumma villagers.

However, they were forced to retreat when the villagers resisted them.

The settlers made a similar attempt about one week ago, claiming that
these lands were allotted to them back in 1980, villagers said.

Baro Kalapani village is over one hundred years old, and there have
never been Bengali settlements anytime in the past.

Besides Jubo League leader Karim Ullah, some other settlers have
identified as being involved in today’s land grab attempt.

They are late Md. Sun Box’s two sons Fazlu Rahman (60) and Shamshul
Haq (50) from Lamkupara in Ramgarh Sadar, Md. Abul Kalam (60) son of
late Khalilur Rahman of Henyako Bazaar, Dantmara Unon, Bhujpur,
Fatikchari and Md. Harun (48) from Balukhali village under Patachara
Union.

UPDF condemns
Ujwal Smriti Chakma, chief organiser of UPDF Khagrachari district
unit, in a statement issued to the media condemned the attempt of the
settlers to grab Jumma people’s lands in Ramgarh.

The UPDF leader urged the government to take stern actions against
those involved in the land grab attempts, saying “such incidents have
the potential to create fresh unrest in the CHT.”

He also demanded that the government inquires into whether any vested
interest group is instigating the settlers to grab Jumma people’s
lands.
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Attacks on Buddhist temple: PCP holds protest rally in Naniachar on 28th October

 Attacks on Buddhist temple: PCP holds protest rally in Naniachar on 28th October

THE HILL Students Council (PCP)  staged a demonstration on 28th October, in
Naniachari in protest against attacks on Triratna Bana Sadhana Kuthir,
a Buddhist temple cum meditation centre, at Amtoli in remote
Barkal-Jurachari border area on 26 October.

About 100 students took part in the demonstration which began from
Naniachar High School ground at 10:45am.

The demonstrators paraded Naniachar bazaar and then held a brief rally
at Rest House area.

Ex-general secretary of PCP Naniachar College Unit, Tapu Moni Chakma
spoke at the rally.

The ex-student leader condemned the attack on Triratna Bana Sadhana
Kuthir by army and urged the government to punish those involved in
the desecration of the temple.

Meanwhile, an unconfirmed report said an unnamed army major from
Rangamati Brigade visited the place of occurrence and expressed
regrets for the destruction of the Kuthirs.

He is also reported to have offered to pay compensation for the damage caused.


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source: chtnews.com

1st issue of UPDF published Jatio Dak

1st issue of UPDF published Jatio Dak

(Please click on the picture to enlarge it! And note that,Chtnewsupdate, we are not liable of any of the news or contents published on this newspaper. We just thought of sharing this with our readers, since all its contents are CHT related.)

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Protest demo held against attacks on Buddhist temple on 27 October, 2010

Protest demo held against attacks on Buddhist temple on 27 October, 2010


HUNDREDS OF BUDDHIST devotees today held a demonstration in Subolong
bazaar in protest against an attack on Triratna Bana Sadhana Kuthir, a
Buddhist temple cum meditation centre, at Amtoli in remote
Barkal-Jurachari border area.

Jotish Chakma, a member of Subolong Union Council, and Rubel Chakma, a
resident of Betchari village, spoke at a rally held at 4pm on 27th October.

Condemning the destruction of ten Kuthirs or meditation cottages by
army on Tuesday, 26 October, they said it was a direct attack on
Buddhism.

The Buddhist Sramanas have been meditating there for a long time to
seek Nibbana or salvation from sufferings, they said.

“The government appears to be sending us a warning through this attack
that we cannot have even the right to meditate and seek Nibbana, the
supreme bliss.” the speakers continued.

They urged for the government to punish those responsible for the
attack and pay adequate compensation to the temple authorities.

They also demanded a guarantee that no such incidents will recur in the future.

A group of army personnel from Banajogi Chara camp attacked Triratna
Bana Sadhana Kuthir at Amtoli in remote Barkal-Jurachari border area
under Subolong Union in the small hours of 26 October and destroyed
ten meditation cottages there.
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source: chtnews.com