April
25, 2005.
Government
Plan to Settle Bengali Families in Sajek, Rangamati
Sources
from Baghaichari have reported that the government of Bangladesh
is planning to settle 65 thousand Bengalees in Sajek Union
under Rangamati district. For the last few days military
officials have been frequenting to the area. Rangamati Brigade
Commander will visit Sajek in a few days. Soldiers are now
clearing jungles for a temporary helipad to enable a military
copter to drop the Brigade commander.
For
the last one and half years the military has been engaged
in constructing a road from Baghaihat to Sajek. It is believed
that as soon as the road is completed the government will
start the settlement of the Bengali people.
According
to the alleged plan the government will settle them on a
vast hilly area from Baghaihat to Majolong in the Union.
As part of the blueprint, apart from constructing the Sajek
road, a new army camp has already been set up in a place
called Nandaram.
The
settlement of such a large number of Bengali settler families
will have devastating effect on the environment. It will
evict the Christian Pankua nationality who have been living
in the area peacefully, mostly unaffected during the JSS
struggle.
Prepared
by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United People's Democratic
Front (UPDF). April 25, 2005. Dhaka.
