The Independent, 28 September 2003

http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/sep/28/28092003mt.htm#A5

Bengalis living in CHT feel insecure

AUDITY FALGUNI, BACK FROM TILAPARA AND CHANGRACHARI, KHAGRACHARI

Some 600,000 Bengali inhabitants in CHT are passing their days amidst tension and insecurity since the violent incident in the region late last month.

Of the total Bengali speaking population, around 2,45,000 have been living in Khagrachari district alone and another 26,000 families in 88 cluster villages for the last two decades.

This reporter visited Tilapara village from where Bengali businessman Rupam Mahajan was abducted and also the Changrachari cluster village which has a large Bengali population.

"I urge the government and the law enforcing agencies to return my son who was abducted on August 24 back to me," implored, "we have been living in this village since 1906. Don’t we have any right over this land?" asked Bijon Krishna Mahajan, father of Rupam Mahajan.

"My son protested the extortionists’ activities of UPDF, particularly those of UPDF chairman Archemedes Chakma; and that was his fault," he added.

On a visit to the Changrachari cluster village, local Bengali villagers narrated their "saga of hardship and insecurity."

"I have come here in 1986. For the last 20 years, I have been living on 85 kg of rice that I get as ration every month for my family. Although the government has allocated five acres of land in my favour, that land is not cultivable," said Lal Mian (71) who moved there from Pirojpur, Barisal.

An extremist tribal group killed his son-in-law and his daughter, now a widow, lives with him.

Another Bengali Sohrab Mian (45) from Sharankhola, Khulna said though the government has allocated five acres of land to him at Balichara, Hill people do not allow him to plough the land.

"We are confined within the cluster villages and cannot move freely or work freely. We are simply surviving on ration. How life can go on like this?" asked Tabdil Hossain (55), another Bengali settler.

Belal Saodagar (40), a businessman at Mahalchari bazar, narrated their plight accusing the hill extortionists of causing misery.

"My little daughter, on returning from school, tells us quoting tribal classmates that no Bengali would be spared," said Shahin, a housewife of Khagrachari town.

They hope that the turmoil and ethnic tension should come to an immediate end and the government and the Opposition should be really sincere on this issue.

All the conscientious Bengalis and hill people of Khagrachari emphasised the need for taking measures to narrow the differences between tribal hill people and Bengali-speaking population in the region so as to bring an end to clashes.

<To Be Continued)