Allegations have been made that the movement of Garos and Khasias living in Kankrachara Punji of Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar has been blocked again. The authorities of Rehana Tea Garden have blocked their movement.

The capitalists were similarly blocked in March last year. Recently again the guards appointed in the garden are obstructing the movement of the people of Punji.

Rehena Tea Garden and Kankarachara Punji are located in the Sadar union of the upazila. Twenty-one families of the indigenous Khasia and Garo communities have been living in Punji for a long time. The family earns its living by farming and selling betel nuts. There is a tea garden nearby.

The residents of Punji walk through Section 14 and Section 13 of the leased land of the garden. The people of Punji renovated the unpaved road in March last year to facilitate their movement. But the people of the garden planted tea saplings on that road. At that time, the people of the garden stopped them while entering the road.

At one stage, people from both sides started gathering with local weapons. Later, the then Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Mehedi Hasan held a meeting with the capital and garden authorities on the ground and directed the two sides to maintain peaceful coexistence. Since then, people have been using this road on a regular basis. But recently, the park has once again blocked access to the road.

Punji’s headman, Janpal Chishim, said the road was blocked last year as well.

Later, after the intervention of the administration, I travelled regularly. The garden authorities told us to go inside the garden through the road next to the factory. There are several gates in the garden. Many times we have to face many problems to cross that gate with sick patients at night.

“Milton Roko, a resident of Punji, said,” “From August 26 to the present, the guards of the garden, Kadir Mia, Manik Mia, as well as Ali, Alim and Sajid, obstructed our movement.” Sick patients, including a 102-year-old man in Punji, are unable to go to the hospital. Around 15-20 students of Punji are also facing obstruction on this road.

Rehana Tea Garden manager AK Azad said that the road in section 14 is the garden’s own road. Only the workers of the garden collect tea leaves through that road. The people of Punji have already been told to use the road behind the garden factory as they used to do before. The road was also repaired. But they are not doing that and are passing through Section 14. They also destroyed many trees. So we planted a new tree.

District Administrative Officer Mohiuddin said, “I have heard about the obstruction. I have directed the assistant commissioner (land) to investigate the matter and take necessary action. Both the parties will sit together and sort out the issue.