The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the armed forces on Friday afternoon issued a statement requesting the influential people of Chattogram hill tract region to assist law enforcers in dialling down Bangalee-indigenous tensions that could culminate into full-blown riots, reports Daily Sun.
In a press statement, the ISPR also detailed the background to the recent spate of violence between Bangalees and local ethnic communities in three hill tract districts.
The violence began with the mob lynching of a widely-suspected Bangalee thief by indigenous people in Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila.
Communal tensions grew further the next day as the minority ethnic community members attacked a Bangalee procession protesting the mob attack, and also an army convoy transporting a critically injured person. Indigenous people also vandalised a fire brigade office.
On Friday, the indigenous people, under PCJSS, again initiated clashes with Bangalees, this time in Rangamati sadar, by attacking mosques, banks, shops and vehicles – resulting in counter-chases and fast spreading tensions.
As per ISPR, on Wednesday a youth named Md Mamun, 30, was beaten to death in Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila by an agitated mob, likely dominated by indigenous people, over allegations of stealing a motorbike.
Khagrachhari Sadar Police recovered the body and sent it to the victim’s family after conducting an autopsy.
The reported attack of indigenous people on a Bangalee, spurred some to bring out a procession from Dighinala College. When crossing the Boalkhali Bazar, the procession came under attack from indigenous people’s group UPDF. At least 20 rounds of bullets were fired on the procession.
In response, the agitated Bangalees set fire to some shops of the Boalkhali Bazar. Six were injured in the Bangalee-indigenous clash.
An army patrol team arrived on the spot and brought the situation under control. Fire servicemen managed to douse the flames with support from general people.
The news of clashes quickly spread to nearby areas including Dighinala and Panchhari, encouraging vested groups to spread rumours online, further enflaming tensions.
Sensing the urgency of the moment, the Khagrachhari district administrator convened a virtual meeting where it was decided that joint forces would deploy from 10pm across the district to maintain law and order.
The forces comprised of army, police, BGB and Ansar personnel.
At 10pm Thursday, a law enforcers’ team was obstructed at Swanirvar area of Khagrachhari town by some people led by UPDF. The team was transporting a critically injured person.
At one point UPDF terrorists fired on army personnel in the team. Troops returned fire in self-defence and the exchange of gunfire resulted in the death of three and injuries to some others.
In this connection, some unruly people attacked some bikers in Khagrachhari’s Panchhari upazila. An UPDF-led group also vandalised an office of the fire brigade.
On Friday, in response to the incident of Khagrachhari, some local indigenous people under the banner of the Hill Students Movement against Discrimination and Conflict gathered at Rangamati Gymnasium area.
A group of 800-1000 agitated people brought out a procession from the gathering, moved towards Bonrupa area and attacked Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, a mosque, CNG-run autorickshaws, motorcycles, before vandalising a couple of shops and setting those on fire.
Several people were injured at the time. To control the situation, section 144 was imposed in Rangamati district sadar area.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
