Compensation talks offer of BGB positive

Dighinala Bhumi Rakhha Committee termed positive Border Guard Bangladesh's (BGB) call yesterday to end demonstrations to hold discussions and reiterated its demand to relocate the 51 BGB Battalion headquarters from Babuchhara of Khagrachhari's Dighinala.

In a press release, it also demanded that the 21 indigenous families evicted to set up the headquarters be returned their ancestral land and provided compensation and rehabilitation and release of 11 persons and withdrawal of a case filed in connection with protests on March 15.

The government decision to set up the headquarters can not be changed, BGB officials told yesterday's press conference in Khagrachhari.

However, there could be discussions on compensation, said a BGB statement read out by the battalion commanding officer.

The district administration will hand out the compensation and there will be all out efforts if any person, who has been truly affected, is left out, it added.

Indigenous people have been demanding since May 2014 that the government do not set up the headquarters through the eviction.

At least six indigenous people and four members of law enforcement agencies were injured on March 15 in a clash when a protest procession brought out by indigenous people was barricaded by joint forces comprising army, police and ansar personnel.