Influx of Chakmas from CHT, tribal ‘Samajpatis’ express concern over the issue and draw the attention of the chief minister

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 30, 2025

The tribal ‘Samajpatis’ of the Reang, Mog, Murasing and Tripura (Noatia) communities today expressed grave concern over the issue of influx of Chakma tribal people into the state through the hilly eastern border . They have also brought the matter to the notice of the chief minister Dr Manik Saha and urged him to take preventive measures against this infiltration.

Speaking on the issue Birendra Tripura , ‘Samajpati’ of the Tipura community, who actually belongs to Raisyabari said that hundreds of Chakmas from the Chittagong hill-tracts of Bangladesh have infiltrated into Tripura through the state’s porous and unfenced eastern border and already settled down in different parts of the state. There has been abnormal increase in Chakma population in areas like Raisyabari and its surrounding areas , Gandacherra subdivision , Chhawmanu and other areas of Longtarai valley subdivision , Shilacherri, Karbook , Pecharthal and even Agartala . “We do know that Tripura had a small Chakma population , particularly in the Shilacherri and Pecharthal areas but over the past three years there has been a major influx.

Birendra Tripura who is well-informed of the demographic issues of Tripura said that there had been the first major influx of Chakmas way back in 1964 following the construction of Kaptai dam on the river Karnaphuli in the Chittagong hill-tracts . “The 25 thousand families who had come had to be sent to erstwhile North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) which now is Arunnachal Pradesh but they got citizenship rights very recently after a supreme court judgment; however the government of Arunachal Pradesh has not given them ST status and the right to purchase land because of opposition from local Adi and Mishmi tribals “ said Birendra Tripura. He added that in Mizoram where the Chakmas have a 6th schedule based ADC they suffer from many disabilities but the influx from CHT continues there also and demography has changed. But in Tripura they have a free run because there is no issue against influx. He said that the Chakmas had come as refugees in 1979,1981 and then in 1986 but all of them went back by the latter part of 1997 only to suffer fresh persecution from Islamised Bangladesh.

“We do know that the Chakma and 9 other tribal communities in CHT are persecuted and exploited by resettled Muslims and their population has come down from 97.5% to below 50% now because of sponsored resettlement of Muslims but Tripura can not taken in any more influx from any section of people; we want the government here to take drastic action against this silent influx if Tripuri tribals are to survive” said Birendra Tripura. He also made it clear that the ‘Samajpatis’ of various tribal communities including himself have no political affiliation and they are just working for their communities.

more news...