Rights activists here on Thursday urged the government to form a land commission to resolve the longstanding land disputes of ethnic minorities living on plain land in northern districts.Addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), they said land grabbing by ‘Bangalees’ has been the main repressive act against ethnic minorities.
The National Coalition of Indigenous Population (NCIP) organised the press conference to release its report on recent attacks on June 6 on the Santal population living in three villages under Ghoraghat upazila, Dinajpur, following a clash between the local ‘Bangalee’ and the Santal communities over the possession of 75 bighas (about 15 acres) of land.
The report was prepared by a nine-member investigation team of the NCIP. Led by NCIP secretary general Prof Mesbah Kamal, the investigation team visited the affected areas on June 13 talked to people on both sides.
Reading out the report, Mesbah Kamal noted that there has been a longstanding dispute over the plot, which is basically a mango orchard.
“Azizar Ali Pradhan of Felain village at Bulakipur union claims that he bought the land from Hopna Malo of the neighbouring Raghunathpur mouza. In fact, no Hopna Malo exists at that village. The original owner of the land is Hopna Murmu, who is a Santal. And one needs to get permission from the district administration for any transaction of a land owned by a Santal,” he said.
“Apparently, instead of using the name Hopna Murmu, Hopna Malo was used by forgers in the land deed,” he added.
NCIP urged the government to launch an administrative inquiry into the dispute as local police have been found to be biased towards the ‘Bangalees’.
The report stated that there existed a longstanding disputed over the ownership of the 75 bigha mango grove situated at Raghunathpur village.
On June 6, a clash between the people of the Santal village and the supporters of the ‘Bangalee’ claimant Azizar took place on the mango grove.
Azizar’s nephew Morshed Ali died reportedly after the clash, said the report, while a number of people from both sides suffered serious injuries.
In connection with the alleged murder, a case was filed with the local police station and seven Santal villagers were arrested later, added the report.
In a sequel to Morshed Ali’s death, a series of attacks on the adjacent three villages and a Church-Seminary were made by the ‘Bangalee’ community on June 6 and 8, the report said.
“The police have also admitted that Santal villages were looted after the incident and that they have recovered 29 of the looted livestock,” the report said.
Speaking on the occasion, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad president Rabindranath Saren said most of the repressive acts are carried out on the ethnic minorities in the northern districts due to land disputes.
“The people belonging to the majority, who are in most cases the supporters of the ruling party, always look for chances to grab lands owned by the minorities by forging deeds and with muscle power,” he said.
The press conference was also addressed by Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary Sanjib Drong and Father Jerome De Rosario of the Catholic Church at Osmanpur in Ghoraghat upazila.
