Conflicting Issues and Challenges Related to Common Property Management and Customary Rights of the Indigenous People of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh

Abstract

The common properties in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh have been degraded due to curtailment of right of the indigenous people by the Forest Department, government policy relating to modernization of the central economy, deployment of military and settlement programs in the land of indigenous people. Therefore, in the context of common property management, the research study aimed to identify state’s role on conversion of indigenous people’s common property and also discovered customary practice of the indigenous people in common lands. The findings of the study reveal that government policy regarding conservation of forest and non-recognition of the indigenous people’s customary rights over their land in the national legal frameworks have negative consequence over the natural environment of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The study shows that indigenous peoples have their traditional knowledge which is effective for the conservation of nature and supporting livelihood which are not being recognized by the state legislation. The study found that detachment of the indigenous people from the nature brings destruction of nature as well as misery for the people. The study also found that international legal instruments and practical experiences as well as local knowledge could be applied for the required policy interventions in order to address the conflicting issues of Common property and livelihood of the indigenous people’s.