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Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Speakers at a programme marking inauguration of a herbal garden in Rangamati Sadar upazila yesterday emphasised protecting the environment and traditional culture of the jumma people for development of the community as well as overall interest of the whole country and its people.
With support from Manusher Jonno Foundation, Centre for Integrated People's Development (CIPD), a local non-government development organisation, arranged the programme.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), inaugurated the herbal garden named 'Murolya Daru Tarum' developed by CIPD on 15 acres of land at Goboghona in Moghban union under Rangamati Sadar upazila.
"The indigenous boidyas (healers) in hills will get the opportunity to provide better treatment to backwoods people as hundreds of species of different medicinal plants will be available from the garden," Shaheen said in her speech as the chief guest.
"The traditional healers will get the opportunity for skill development through research work on herbal medicines and it requires a long term plan involving the people concerned," she said.
Urging all to remain alert about the violators of human rights in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and build up social movement against the evil force, Shaheen said the indigenous people must be united for full execution of the CHT peace accord.
Since time immemorial, the indigenous healers have been playing a very significant role in providing treatment to people, mostly living in rural areas. But the traditional healing community sees decline due to lack of herbal medicines and proper practice," said Ushatan Talukder, member of CHT Regional Council.
"We have to conserve the herbal medicines available in the hills. We have to give importance on growing and creating bamboo clusters too," he added.
He thanked Manusher Jonno Foundation for coming forward for the welfare of the hill people.
Nirupa Dewan, member of National Human Rights Commission, was also a special guest at the function presided over by Jana Lal Chakma, executive director of CIPD.
An indigenous cultural function was arranged on the occasion.
Criminals looted and burnt the houses of an indigenous family at Kasimnagar village in Birganj upazila under the district in brought daylight yesterday, triggering panic among the community.
Led by an alleged land grabber of the area and his two accomplices, around 15 to 20 men equipped with bamboo and wooden sticks attacked the house of Kazra Besra at Kasimnagar village at around 12:30pm, witnesses said.
The criminals assaulted the family members including females and children and dragged them out of the house. After looting things from there, the attackers set at least four houses on fire.
Before leaving the area, the criminals set fire to the kitchen at the house of one of the accomplices of the alleged land grabber, locals said.
"Nobody dared to come forward to help us as the criminals stayed here until the houses were burnt to ashes. The criminals set fire to the house of one of them with an evil intention to brand us as criminals," said Kazra Besra, the victim.
Local indigenous people said they informed Birganj police of the matter but the law enforcers arrived around 90 minutes later although the distance could be covered in 20 minutes.
Kazra, a day labourer, have been living on 15 decimal land with 12 family members including two sons and daughters-in-law. The land belongs to Kedara Besra, another indigenous person at Kasimnagar village in Birganj upazila.
"A local land grabber and his two accomplices have been intimidating us to leave the area in a bid to grab our land and finally they burnt our houses," said Kazra's son Bisu Besra.
Around 40 indigenous families live in the village, locals said.
Arzu Ara Begum, upazila nirbahi officer of Birganj, Shahab Uddin, additional superintendent of police of Sadar Circle and Shamsun Nur, officer in charge of Birganj police station visited the area yesterday afternoon.
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