Human rights activists and dignitaries in Bangladesh have termed the construction of Marriott Hotel and Amusement Park project in Bandarban’s Chandra Pahar as absolutely unjust, inhuman, and illegal.
Human rights activists from different rights based organizations came together at an online press conference on Saturday to express their solidarity to the Mro community who are protesting against the project. The press conference was organized by a few Chittagong Hill Tract based organizations.
Emeritus Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury said building deluxe hotels by disregarding Mro rights to their ancestral land cannot be called development of any kind.
“It is unjust, inhuman, and illegal. Mro people will become refugees in their own land if this project is completed,” he said
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the chief executive of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA), said: “If we look at the poverty index, Bandarban is at the bottom. Building a five star hotel in such a poverty-stricken area is a mockery of the people living there,” she said.
If one Bandarban is lost, no one can build another but they can build another hotel in another place, she added.
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The construction work of a five-star hotel, named “Marriott Hotel and Amusement Park,” in Chandra Pahar — previously known as the Naitong hung (hill) — of Bandarban’s Chimbuk area is continuing amid protests by the local Mro community.
Near Nilgiri, the 24th Division and the 69th Brigade of Bangladesh Army, Army Welfare Trust, and R&R Holdings Limited are jointly implementing the project — which will be a part of the US-based hospitality company Marriott International.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said building a hotel on Mro land is against the Chittagong Hill Tract Peace Accord.
“We want the state to stand up for them,” she said.
Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, said Mro people are being oppressed in the name of development.
“Bangladesh army has certain responsibilities. I do not understand why they have to get involved in this kind of business,” she questioned.
Anu Muhammad, a professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University and member secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil Gas Mineral Resources Power and Ports, said: “If tourists care about the environment and people, they would not want to stay in luxury hotels which was built by evicting people from their ancestral land.”
Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik said the company which is building the hotel is controversial and it would not be good for the image of Bangladesh Army.
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Barrister Sara Hossain, a prominent human rights activist, said the rights of Mro is completely overlooked.
“The government should answer its citizens about this,” she said.
An Mro representative Laureng Mro, said installing cable cars, occupying ancestral lands, and destroying agricultural lands of Mro community is not development of any kind.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said the project is inhuman on so many levels.
“Bangladesh Army has a glorious history. I want to believe that it [Bangladesh Army] has taken up the project by mistake,” he said.
The Chakma Raja Barrister Debashish Roy said: “People do not own lands, the land owns people. Bangladesh Army is our pride. I hope they would not do something just for profit.”
Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples’ Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong also urged the media to keep the issue relevant until it is resolved.