Last of Chakmas return home to Bangladesh

AGARTALA, February 27: With the return of the remaining 199 refugees of 33 families lodged in the Takumbari camp in South Tripura district to Bangladesh today, the 12-year old Chakma problem came to an end.

Sources said the last batch of Chakma refugees was received by the Bangladesh authorities at Tablacherri-Silacherri along the Bangladesh border. The refugees were welcomed by Kalpa Ranjan Chakma, chairman of the monitoring committee for the implementation of rehabilitation for the returning refugees. Altogether 36,181 Chakma refugees lodged in six camps — Karbook, Silacherri, Kathalcherri, Lebacherra, Takumbari and Pancharampara — in the district have been repatriated to their ancestral homeland in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during the final phase of repatriation which began in January. Over 60,000 Bangladeshi tribals, mostly Chakmas, took shelter in six camps in Tripura since April 1986.