Rakhine population ‘declining’

The population of the Rakhine community in Patuakhali and Barguna has declined significantly due to oppression and land grabbing by influential people in those areas, said a group of citizens who recently visited the areas. The community had around one lakh people several decades ago, but it has now only around 25,000 people, they said at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday. Noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud demanded that the government appoint a Rakhine affairs official, equivalent to a first-class magistrate, at the deputy commissioner's office to look into the matter and prepare a report. The conference was presided over by National Awami Party (NAP) president Pankaj Bhattacharjee. Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary Sanjib Drong, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad president Rabindranath Saren, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and BAF information and publicity secretary Dipayan Khisa, among others, were present at the press meet. The group of citizens went on a two-day visit to Rakhine areas in Barguna and Patuakhali this month. The existence of the Rakhine community is under great threat. They are being evicted from their land all over the country, but the situation in Barguna and Patuakhali is the worst, said Robayet Ferdous, associate professor in the mass communication and journalism department of Dhaka University. Ferdous moderated the press conference. IIED Numan Ahmed said the Rakhine people started living in the areas in the beginning of 1800s. There were 144 paras in Barguna and 93 in Patuakhali in 1948, but now the number has come down to 26 and 13, respectively. Most of the Rakhines have gone to Myanmar due to oppression and land grabbing by influential people, he added. The land grabbers have not even spared places of worship, Numan Ahmed said, adding that they grabbed most of the land of the century-old Kuakata Bouddha Bihar. If the government does not give proper attention to this problem, the community will be extinct in a few years, said Sanijb Drong.

Rakhine population declining

The population of the Rakhine community in Patuakhali and Barguna has declined significantly due to oppression and land grabbing by influential people in those areas, said a group of citizens who recently visited the areas. The community had around one lakh people several decades ago, but it has now only around 25,000 people, they said at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday. Noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud demanded that the government appoint a Rakhine affairs official, equivalent to a first-class magistrate, at the deputy commissioners office to look into the matter and prepare a report. The conference was presided over by National Awami Party (NAP) president Pankaj Bhattacharjee. Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary Sanjib Drong, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad president Rabindranath Saren, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda and BAF information and publicity secretary Dipayan Khisa, among others, were present at the press meet. The group of citizens went on a two-day visit to Rakhine areas in Barguna and Patuakhali this month. The existence of the Rakhine community is under great threat. They are being evicted from their land all over the country, but the situation in Barguna and Patuakhali is the worst, said Robayet Ferdous, associate professor in the mass communication and journalism department of Dhaka University. Ferdous moderated the press conference. IIED Numan Ahmed said the Rakhine people started living in the areas in the beginning of 1800s. There were 144 paras in Barguna and 93 in Patuakhali in 1948, but now the number has come down to 26 and 13, respectively. Most of the Rakhines have gone to Myanmar due to oppression and land grabbing by influential people, he added. The land grabbers have not even spared places of worship, Numan Ahmed said, adding that they grabbed most of the land of the century-old Kuakata Bouddha Bihar. If the government does not give proper attention to this problem, the community will be extinct in a few years, said Sanijb Drong.