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| Ashoka Buddhist Vihara at Rengen Mro Karbari Para |
BANDARBAN: In Sarai union of Lama upazila of Bandarban, there were reports of people of Lama Rubber Industries manhandling U Chaindima Bhikshu, the principal of Ashoka Buddhist Vihara at Rengen Mro Karbari Para, and trying to encroach upon 400 acres of jum land of Mro and Tripuras illegally.
The United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) condemned the incident.
Regarding the incident, Vihara Pradhikhar U Chinedima Bhikshu said, "Last Friday, February 23, at 11: 00 am, a group of 7/8 people, including Lama Rubber Industries Company's in-charge Abdul Malek, Arif Manager, Kuddus Mia, and a group of army members came to the Rengyen neighborhood." ""
At that time they entered the Vihara and tried to drag him (Bhante) out of the
Vihara while he was eating.
“Arif's manager and Kuddus Mia Gongra also beat me up after harassing Bhante”, said
Rengyun Mro, an eyewitness. They then asked the neighbours to leave the village
and threatened to set fire to their houses if they did not leave.
"The people of Lama Rubber Industries cleared 400 acres of forest for
encroachment on February 23 and 24, but no action was taken against the land
grabbers," said Rengen Karbari, chief of the village.
He alleged that so far 5 cases have been filed in the name of the villagers.
UPDF central vice-president Nutan Kumar Chakma, in a statement issued to the
media today (February 25), condemned and protested the harassment of U
Chaindima Bhikshu, the principal of Ashoka Buddhist Vihara, and the illegal
encroachment of 400 acres of jum land by the Mro and Tripuras.
He demanded an immediate end to the conspiracy to usurp the land inherited from
the Mro family, strict action against the land grabbers and arrest of the
people of Lama Rubber Industries involved in harassing and denigrating the U
Chinedima monk.
It may be recalled that on April 9, 2022, Lama Rubber Industries started
encroaching upon 400 acres of jhum land of Mro-Tripuras living in Rengen Mro,
Para, Langkom Mro Para and Jaychandra Tripura Para of Sarai union. At that
time, they cleared the jungles in the Jumu lands of the Mro-Tripuras and set
fire to them, causing extensive damage to the jumu lands as well as the fruit
and forest plantations.
After this, the people of Mro and Tripura are being evicted by filing false
cases one after another, including vandalism of Buddha statues, poisoning of
water sources, arson and looting of houses.