The grabbers find the task easy when forest department takes up social afforestation programmes, leaders of indigenous people alleged while talking to this correspondent.

At times the forest department also launches drive to 'recover' forestlands which makes indigenous people living in hills for generations 'common’ victims.

Recently, panic gripped them as leaflets were distributed in Kulaura upazila by a fictitious organisation named Association for Social Afforestration Movement, calling upon 'non-tribal people to come forward to evict Garo and Khasia families from forestlands'. This has also created tension in the area.

About 20,000 Khasia and Garo people live in different forest areas of Baralekha, Kulaura, Juri, Kamalgonj and Srimongal upazilas in Moulvibazar district. Their only occupation is betel leaf cultivation in hills. Plantation and preservation of forest is part of their life because they are solely dependent on that.

After circulation of the leaflets, panic-stricken Khasia and Garo community leaders met with the Deputy Commissioner at Kulaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer's office on August 30. They included Prottush Askari of Amuli Pan Punjee (betel leaf growing area), Anit Yeang of Murai Chhera Pan Punjee and Flora Babli Talang of Khasia Students Association.

At the meeting, the tribal leaders expressed their anxiety and sense of insecurity lodged a complaint with the DC that a section of forest department employees were threatening them to leave the areas.

Meeting sources further said that the indigenous leaders told the DC that non-tribal people, with the help of the forest department officials, recently damaged betel leaf worth over Tk one lakh in some gardens and threatened them with eviction in the name of social afforestation programmes.

The DC assured them of providing security and ordered police to find who circulated the leaflets.

The indigenous leaders also handed over a memorandum to the DC to press their six-point demand.

Anit Yeang of Murai Chhera Pan Punjee told this correspondent that an attempt was made during the tenure of Awami League government to establish an eco-park at Murai Chhera by evicting Khasias. Taking the opportunity, a section of local Bangalees tried to occupy their lands. Several indigenous people were killed in clashes at the Khasia Pan Punjee in Kulaura upazila on July 25, 2002. Anit Yeang led the movement against the proposed e-park.

He also alleged that a section of officials and political ifluentials indirectly support Bangalees to occupy lands of tribal people.

When election comes, political leaders play a 'game of votes' by creating communal tension on the issue.

When contacted over telephone, DC Md Eunusur Rahman said he informed higher authorities about the situation and also discussed it with leaders of Khasia and Garo communities.

He said he will hold a meeting with indigenous leaders and officials of forest and revenue departments at Moulvibazar district headquarters soon to resolve the problem.

Forest department officials could not be contacted despite repeated attempts in the last two days.