Police arrest land protection movement leader Ringrang Mro in Bandarban's Lama upazila

Police have arrested Ringrang Mro, a leader of the land protection movement, in Bandarban's Lama upazila. Law enforcement personnel in civil clothes detained him from Langkam Para in Saroi union on Sunday evening (February 22, 2025). [Video of abduction in comment box] Locals alleged that he was arrested based on a fabricated case filed by Lama Rubber Industries Limited. He had been leading a long-standing movement against the grabbing of indigenous people's lands.

Local residents believe he was targeted due to his active role in protecting the land. According to locals, Lama Rubber Industries Limited has long been carrying out activities such as grabbing land belonging to the Mro and Tripura communities, evicting them, burning down houses, destroying crops, and launching attacks using musclemen. Multiple allegations of attacks and land grabbing have been raised against Lama Rubber Industries Limited since 2022 and 2023.

In April 2022, 400 acres of jhum land were burned down in Langkam Para, Rengyen Mro Karbari Para, and Joychandra Karbari Para. In January 2023, a muscle-bound force loaded on trucks attacked Rengyen Karbari Para and set fire to seven homesteads, three of which were completely burnt. During the attack, locals were beaten up and at least 10 houses were vandalized. There were also allegations of poisoning the local water sources, which has become a threat to the existence of the indigenous people.

Such nefarious activities by Lama Rubber Industry are still ongoing. Notably, it is alleged that the highest amount of land has been allocated for settlers in Lama upazila of Bandarban within the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Violating the terms of the Hill Tracts Accord, land grabbing by rubber companies and eviction of indigenous people have now become a common occurrence here. Local human rights organizations said, "Instead of properly investigating the allegations raised against Lama Rubber Industries Limited, the protesting leaders are being suppressed.

This is a form of oppression." Indigenous rights activists and locals have strongly condemned and protested the arrest of Ringrang Mro. They have demanded his immediate release and called for staying active in the land protection movement. On the other hand, questions remain for the administration and concerned authorities—will the seizure of indigenous lands and the suppression of protesters continue this way?