Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact

On 21-22 January 2012 an 11-member civic group comprising human rights activists and journalists led by Pankaj Bhattacharya of Sammilito Samajik Andolon visited a three-hundred-year-old Buddhist temple at Hnila under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazaar, which was allegedly destroyed and whose land was grabbed by a former lawmaker of ruling Awami League.

The other members of civic group are of teacher of journalism and mass communication department of Dhaka University Robaet Ferdous, senior reporter of the daily Kaler Kantho Biblop Rahman, contributor of the daily Independent Jannat Ferdous, filmmaker Rashed Rayen, senior reporter of the daily Independent Jagaran Chakma, senior reporter of the Daily Sun Numan Chowdhury, contributor of the daily Prothom Alo Khadeja Falguni, vice chairperson of Kapaeeng Foundation (KF) Dipayon Khisa and documentation officer of KF Srijony Tripura.

The rights group talked to indigenous Rakhaine villagers and land grabbers former lawmaker Prof Mohammad Ali and his son Rashed Mahmud Ali. They also talked with deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazaar district Jainul Bari and superintendent of police (SP) of Cox’s Bazaar Selim Mohammad Jahangir.

It is mentionable that the Buddhist temple of indigenous Rakhaine community was destroyed and looted several time by Bengali Muslim land grabbers at Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazaar district with the intention to occupy the temple’s land. Land grabbers have driven away the monk of the temple through physical attack and destroyed the images of Lord Buddha and looted the valuables. Rakhaine community urged the Prime Minister of Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, but no action has been taken so far. The indigenous Rakhaine villagers alleged that they have not been able to hold their religious festivals at the temple over the last two years.

The land grabber Prof Mohammad Ali said to the visiting human rights group that he took out a lease on the land in 2001. However, deputy commissioner (DC) of Cox’s Bazaar district Jainul Bari that said selling or leasing out of religious property is illegal. He also added that he would try his level best to recover the land of the temple.

For media reports of the visit, click the links below:

Buddhist temple land grabbed, Former AL lawmaker blamed The Daily Sun http://www.daily-sun.com/details_Buddhist-temple-land-grabbed_37_1_2_1_2.html

For media report in Bengali, http://www.samakal.net/details.php?news=17&action=main&menu_type=&option=single&news_id=229753&pub_no=943&type=

Source: