Red Crescent Society grabs land of indigenous people in Bangladesh

Sanjoy Kumar Barua

Jhum cultivation is what Mongkyai Ching Marma did for a living until 2022 he has lost his land in Bandrban Sadar upazila to the relentless grabbing by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS).

Now in his sixties, he is compelled to think what else he can do to feed his family. 

“BDRCS began occupying our ancestral jhum land in 2022. The secretary of BDRCS Bandarban unit Amol Kanti Das now do not allow us to step onto the land that we cultivated even two year ago”, said Mongkyai  Ching.

“The land grabber managed local headman and the administration. After grabbing our Jhum land BDRCS planted a signboard there”, the victim said.

The signboard reads:  “This place is owned by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.  Fixed place for Bir Bahadur Red Crescent Maternity Hospital .Bandarban Red Crescent Unit.”

“We are helpless. When we protest, we face death threats,” said Mongkyai.

Asked why he did not seek help from police, he said “The land grabbers are very influential and will implicate false cases if we protest land grabbing.”

“We met our social leader, Mong Thwai Ching, headman of Sualock mouza several times but to no avail. He did not pay any heed to our sufferings,” said the victim.

Locals say that headmen have been selling off lands by issuing false ‘permission to buy’ certificates. The buyer can then approach the Bomang Circle and Deputy Commissioner with the certificate from the headman and complete the sale procedure.

Mong Thwai Ching, headman of Sualock mouza, said “AL leaders including former CHT affairs minister MP Bir Bahadur and Amol Kanti Das had forced him to give the headman reports declaring grabber’s ownership over the jhum land in Raicha Lombarasta area.”  

A few villagers said the headman had links with land grabbers and that he had allowed many influentials to occupy ancestral jhum land by issuing reports in exchange for money. 

Amol Kanti Das, secretary of BDRCS Bandarban unit and also president of Bandarban town unit Awami League denied the allegation and said, “We never grabbed the land of any indigenous people in Bandarban. We gave Mongkyai Ching Tk 5 lakh while the land is govt. khas land.”

“We used lawmaker Bir Bahadur name with the Red Crescent Maternity Hospital as he donated Tk 10 lakh to BDRCS”, said Amol.

Bir Bahadur didn’t pick up the phone despite multiple calls.

Contacted, Kazi Shofiqul Azam, secretary general of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) said, “Bandarban local unit of BDRCS informed us that they are constructing Red Crescent Maternity Hospital in govt. khas land with local support. There is no way to grab anyone’s land in the name of BDRCS.”

After several times attempt, Shah Mujahid Uddin, deputy commissioner of Bandarban, didn’t receive the call.

According to Article 10 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, “Indigenous peoples shall not be forci-bly removed from their lands or territories. No relocation shall take place without the free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous peoples concerned and after agreement on just and fair compensa-tion and, where possible, with the option of return.”

Article 14 of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Conven-tion, 1989 by International Labour Organization, which states, “Governments shall take steps as necessary to identify the lands which the peoples concerned traditionally occupy, and to guarantee effec-tive protection of their rights of ownership and possession.”

Indigenous people mostly depend on jhum cultivation and forest resources for their livelihood in Chittagong HillTracts(CHT) of Bangladesh.