A narrow dirt road winds up the hillside. On both sides are small houses made of corrugated-iron sheets, bamboo and fencing. Some are built against the slopes, while others stand on land levelled by cutting into the hills. In some places, structures of new houses are going up; elsewhere, freshly cut soil can be seen. Tree trunks lie scattered at several spots.

This is the scene recently found in the Baraitali area of Ward No. 1 South Pahartali in Chattogram city. Although the area lies within the city limits, it can be reached by taking the road connecting Hathazari’s Boro Dighirpar to Bhatiari. Baraitali, surrounded by hills, is about a kilometre inside from No. 3 Bazar.

According to land office records, a total of 94.45 acres of land under BS Dag Nos. 3592, 3696, 3053 and 3540 in Jungle South Pahartali Mouza is government-owned land under Khas Khatian No. 1. Dag No. 3592 is classified as ‘Tila’ (hill), Dag No. 3053 as ‘Chhan Khola’ (open grassland), while the other two are classified as ‘Nal’ (low-lying land). However, much of these areas consists of hills, and settlements have developed at various places.