Hill Voice, August 2, 2026, Moulvibazar: Allegations have been raised against an influential group in Ichhalchhara Khasia Punji of Moulvibazar for cutting down betel leaf plantations, filing false and harassing lawsuits, and conspiring to evict the local Indigenous Khasia community from their homesteads. Local residents claim that a longstanding attempt is underway to destroy their betel leaf gardens—their only source of livelihood—by using the Forest Department as a means of exerting pressure on the community.
Residents of the Punji said that since 2022, they have been subjected to various forms of pressure aimed at forcing them to leave, allegedly with the assistance of certain Forest Department officials. Large trees in the hilly forest, as well as betel leaf vines and areca nut trees, are reportedly being cut down, resulting in the destruction of natural resources. This is not only damaging their livelihoods but also destroying the natural environment necessary for betel leaf vines to grow. As a result, establishing new betel leaf plantations in the future is becoming increasingly difficult.
The residents expressed deep concern, saying that these hills have been the ancestral homeland of their community for hundreds of years. The hills represent their identity, culture, history, and sole means of sustenance. Their existence is deeply intertwined with the forest and their betel leaf gardens.
Residents further alleged that when local Khasias attempt to prevent miscreants from entering their Jum plots and cutting down trees, complaints and lawsuits are instead filed against them with the police and the Forest Department. They said that almost every family in the Punji has been affected, with one or more cases filed against members of most households. In some cases, even mothers and sisters from the same family are facing lawsuits.
Victims alleged that an influential group linked to the former ruling party, the Awami League, is using the Forest Department as a shield in an attempt to seize land and forest areas. They said that Khasia families are becoming financially and emotionally devastated as they struggle to deal with what they describe as false lawsuits.
Betel leaf cultivation is the main foundation of the Khasia community’s life and livelihood. If their betel leaf plantations are destroyed, hundreds of Khasia families could lose their primary means of sustenance and face a severe livelihood crisis.
The residents of Ichhalchhara Punji have called for strong intervention by the relevant authorities and senior government officials to ensure a fair and impartial investigation into the incidents, protect their betel leaf gardens, and immediately relieve them from all harassing lawsuits.