Tangail, Sep 10, (V7N) - In Madhupur, the Garo-Koch community staged a human chain and presented a petition demanding the withdrawal of cases and the unconditional release of 12 individuals, including Eugene Nakrek, president of the Joyenshahi Indigenous Development Council.

On the morning of September 10, representatives from the Joyenshahi Indigenous Development Council, Comprehensive Human Development Organization, Achik Michik Society, Tribal Welfare Association, Koch Indigenous Organization, Bangladesh Garo Students' Organization, and Garo Student Federation delivered a memorandum through Madhupur Upazila Executive Officer Zubayer Hossain to the Tangail District Administrator.

Hundreds of Garo-Koch men and women from various villages gathered at the Upazila Parishad office for the human chain before submitting the memorandum.

The protest was attended by several key figures, including former president of the Joyenshahi Indigenous Development Council, Ajay A. Mro, vice-president Thomas Chambugong, Garo Student Federation Madhupur branch president Tushar Nekla, Bagachas’s Madhupur branch leader Lucy Rishil, Koch Indigenous Organization leader Bharat Barman, Garo Student Federation central committee advisor Richard Mro, indigenous leader Roji Mro, Joyenshahi Indigenous Development Council Thana Baid branch president Ajez Rema, general secretary Ranjan Hagidok, Koch Indigenous Organization president Gourang Barman, Joyenshahi Indigenous Development Council organizational secretary Prabin Chisim, Comprehensive Human Development Organization general secretary Md. Mofiz Uddin, ethnic women leader Meggy Medelina Mro, Arankhola Union Parishad member Prabir Kumar Barman, and Utpal Rema from Idilpur village.

Md. Mofiz Uddin, general secretary of the Comprehensive Human Development Organization, presented the memorandum.

During the brief rally, speakers accused the authorities of filing a false tree theft case against Eugene Nakrek and other leaders from the Comprehensive Human Development Organization as part of a conspiracy. They were sent to jail on September 5 after appearing in Tangail court. The speakers denounced the case as a fraudulent attempt to suppress the movement advocating for the rights of landless indigenous people. They demanded the withdrawal of the case and the release of the 12 individuals, who are currently imprisoned over a dispute involving 84% of land claimed by the defendant.

Madhupur Upazila Executive Officer Zubayer Hossain confirmed that the memorandum had been received.

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