Agar plantation on indigenous people's land
50 indigenous families fear eviction in Rangamati
Foresters have planted agar tree on the lands cultivated by local indigenous people at Tarachhari in Farua union under Bilachhari upazila. Photo: Shantimoy Chakma
Department of Forest (FD) has taken an agar plantation programme in the name of creating social forestation on 25 hectares of land in Rangamati, threatening livelihood of 50 indigenous poor families. The locals alleged that the programme has been taken to evict the local indigenous people from their lands in the remote Tarachhari areas at Farua union under Bilaichhari upazila of the district where they have been living for decades. Chittagon Hill Tracts (CHT) South Forest Division created an 'Agar Bagan' on the land to create social forestation on the participatory basis with the local people, sources said. But the forest department did not sign any agreement with the locals or involve them with the work, indigenous villagers said. Under the countrywide Agar Project, Tk 45 lakh was spent in plantation of agar trees in Rangamati Forest Circle last year. Same amount will also be spent in this regard this year, sources at forest department said. Agar saplings have been planted on the land where local indigenous people cultivate. Indigenous people said the forest officials neither informed them nor discussed before plantation of agar trees on their lands. Amar Kumar Tangchangya, vice-chairman of Bilaichhari upazila, said according to social forestation rules an agreement must be completed with participation of locals in the work before plantation. But the forest officials planted agar trees without any agreement and involving the locals with the works. "I think an ill motive worked behind the project or the foresters did it for embezzlement of the project money," he added. Bangalya Tangchangya said he has been cultivating four acres of land for the last 34 years. He has planted banana, papaya, turmeric and ginger on the land this year. Bangalya said unfortunately, the officials have also planted agar trees on the land without his permission. He said the officials identified as Farid and Abdur Rashid planted trees on his land as per the directive of Amir Hossain Chowdhury, divisional forest officer (DFO) of CHT South Forest Division. The officials often threaten them of filing cases against the indigenous people when they protest, he added. Dilip Kumar Tangchangya, a UP member of Farua union and also a headman, said he has been living on 40 acres of land for about 45 years. He said he is disappointed at the attitude of the forest officials towards the indigenous people. He said though the DFO discussed with them about the social forestation on participatory basis but he has violated his commitment, creating an 'Agar Bagan'. There are 50 indigenous families under13 households in Farua union, sources said. When contacted, Amir said the indigenous people have been residing on reserve forestlands illegally for long. He said they have an order to evict them from government land, which they have not done this yet. Amir said concerned 50 indigenous families are involved with the agar forestation as per the rules of social forestation. Accordingly, they will get 45 per cent as benefit, government 45 percent and a fund will be created with 10 per cent of the benefits for further creation of social forestation, he said. Ratan Kumar Majumder, conservator of forest (CF), Rangamati circle, said they have no plan to evict the villagers as they have been living on the land for about 50 years. They never tried to evict them despite government orders, Ratan said, adding that they (indigenous people) are the main beneficiaries of the project while a vested quarter is trying to foil the project.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments