Activists Demand Creation of a Land Administration Body for Indigenous Minorities Living in Plainlands
In the rural district of Rajshahi, the Pahari community in Mollapara has been facing eviction threats, sparking concern and calls for action from human rights activists.
The community, which initially settled on 16 katha of land after the Liberation War, has grown to 16 households over three generations. According to Zakir Hossain, chief executive of Nagorik Uddyog, the Pahari community has lived on the land for multiple generations. This, he says, grants them rights to the land according to the law.
However, local resident Sajjad Ali claimed ownership of the land and offered Tk30 lakh for the families to leave, forcing three households to vacate. Sajjad Ali had made this claim in 1994, but Zakir Hossain mentioned that he never made such a claim before.
The situation escalated when Sajjad Ali planned a goat slaughter and meal on Friday (5 September) to persuade the remaining families to leave. This move was met with resistance from the community and local activists.
Following media coverage on 3 September, law enforcement and administrative officials visited the community on 4 September. The officials assured the Pahari community they could stay and stopped the planned feast.
Dipayan Khisa, a central member of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti, questioned why the Pahari community is facing eviction if they have not been since independence. He urged the arrest of the land grabber and the establishment of a small police outpost to ensure the safety of the Pahari community.
Rights activists visited the Pahari community in Mollapara today (7 September) to show solidarity. Arif Ether, coordinator of Centre for Capacity Building of Voluntary Organisation, emphasized the need for a quick formation of a land commission to secure indigenous land rights, warning that delays would make the process even harder.
Samina Begum, coordinator of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), stated that until a land commission is formed, indigenous people's land rights cannot be guaranteed. She urged the administration to ensure the safety and right to live for the Pahari community in Mollapara.
Human rights activists have called for the formation of an independent land commission to protect ethnic minority peoples in the plains. Zakir Hossain also called for a land commission specifically for indigenous peoples in the plains, as none of the current commissions include representatives from the country's northern part.
The eviction threats faced by the Pahari community in Mollapara have sparked a call to action from human rights activists and the community itself. As the situation continues to unfold, it is hoped that a swift and fair resolution will be found to ensure the safety and rights of the Pahari community.
