Sunday, August 9, 2026
Tensions have risen in the Gamaridhala area of No. 1 Khagrachhari Union under Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila following allegations that local Muslim settlers unlawfully occupied land belonging to an indigenous man, Bairi Mitra Chakma, and erected a structure on the property.
On Saturday night, August 8, Md. Moinul Islam, son of Md. Mozammel Hoque; Md. Samad, son of Shamsher Ali Biswas; Sahera Begum, daughter of Mohammad Sheikh; and their associates reportedly constructed a house on the land in an attempt to take possession of it. All three named individuals are residents of Natun Para in Gamaridhala Mouza, Khagrachari Sadar Upazila.
According to sources, Bairi Mitra Chakma had previously sought legal protection against an alleged attempt to take over his inherited property. On July 29, 2025, he filed a petition under Section 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the three individuals before the court of Khagrachhari Additional District Magistrate Hasan Maruf.
Following an investigation, Additional District Magistrate Hasan Maruf disposed of the case on April 23, 2026, ruling in favor of Bairi Mitra Chakma, who was identified as the current possessor of the disputed land.
Case records and the investigation report state that the late Peari Mohan Chakma, father of Bairi Mitra Chakma, was the recorded occupant of 7.95 acres of land across several plots under R.S. Khatian No. 05 in Gamaridhala Mouza (No. 256). Following his death in 2003, his legal heirs reportedly continued to hold joint possession of the property.
The dispute reportedly escalated on July 26, 2025, when Bairi Mitra Chakma and hired laborers went to the property to clear overgrown vegetation. The respondents allegedly confronted them, dismantled existing bamboo fencing, and issued threats. Fearing that he could be forcibly dispossessed, Bairi Mitra Chakma subsequently sought judicial intervention under Section 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
In the official inquiry report, the investigating officer, the Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Khagrachhari Sadar, stated that an on-site investigation had confirmed that the plaintiff remained in actual physical possession of the disputed recorded land.
In its final order, the Magistrate’s court ruled that, after reviewing the case records, petition, responses from the respondents, the field report submitted by the Assistant Commissioner (Land), witness statements, and legal arguments, the applicant had successfully established his possession of the disputed property.
The court accordingly declared the applicant the lawful possessor of the land and ordered that the respondents refrain from entering the property unless and until a competent court issued a contrary order concerning title or possession. The case was subsequently disposed of.
According to the case records, the land was originally allotted to Peari Mohan Chakma as a displaced person affected by the Kaptai Dam project. His family has since maintained possession of the property through inheritance.
Bairi Mitra Chakma, who currently lives in Aparna Chowdhury Para in Khagrachhari town, alleged that local settlers have repeatedly attempted to take control of the ancestral property over the years.
The latest reported construction on the land has renewed concerns among local indigenous residents over the security of their land rights and the implementation of the court’s order.
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