13 houses, shops torched: teak, pineapple plantation ravaged: Tribal and Bengali confront at Rangamati

Staff Reporter:

Ravaged pineapple and teak plantation was the reason, confrontation and vandalize properties between Bengali and Tribal is the cruel result at Rangamati. After presence of police and another existing force, at least situation seems comparatively comfortable since before.
A cold war is still at Naniyarchar of Rangamati. Unknown suspects might have done this though they have not identified till the report writing. When this was the condition around the area, unknown suspects again torched 13 shops, made the situation complicate more. Anxiety surrounds the area.

As an immediate affect, UPDF called random blocked on Rangamati-Khagrachari highway and suspending vehicular movement for several hours. The organization sent press release about the blocked. Member Secretary Sentu Chakma sent the release on behalf of the organozation. Later, police and army personnel freed the road.

Police, administration and locales said, on Monday midnight, suspects ravaged almost 15 Acres of pineapple plantation where four hundred 50 thousand pineapples matured. At the same time they cut thousands of teak plants. When the owner of pineapple plantation Md. Nurul Islam, Md. Asad, Kamal Hossain, Jamal Hossain and Absar Master visited their field at morning, they found their garden smash up. Victims claimed tribal of neighbor villages have done damages at dark night. Unrest was growing in Bengali community as after affect.

Victims and villagers gathered demonstrating against the devil act while another offense has been made. Suspects torched shops, houses and business houses of three tribal-led villages, Bogachari, Charidash and Nabin Talukder para. For this offense, no suspect is indentified yet.
Tribal claimed suspects damaged ‘Karuna Bihar’ monk situated at Burighat Union. However two or three houses of Bengali were also torched at that moment.

Additional SP (Detective) Abul Kalam Azad said, they have reached with their force immediately after getting the news, fire service were also on time. However, some Bengali has injured while they have engaged clashing with police.

District Councilor Md. Mostofa Kamal, Police Super Amena Begum, Zone Commander of Naniyachar Lieutenant Colonel Sohe, Upazilla Chairperson of Naniyarchar Shaktiman Chakma, UNO Md. Nurunzzaman, OC of Naniyarchar Police Md. Abdur Rashid and local representatives were reached at the spot immediately to establish peace in the area.

At a brief meeting, they called upon the tribal communities to maintain peace in the area and assured them of arresting the attackers. They requested to be patient and tolerant to both.

Shaktiman Chakma announced names of 11-membered committee maintaining harmony for the area. This committee will maintain and ensure peace in the area.

Police Supper Amena Begum said, criminal must be punished but peace between tribal and Bengali is necessary to prevent these incidents.
DC said, government will take an initiative to support and compensated the victims. He also announced a teak rehabilitation for then who were affected by this incident.

After that DC distributed one lac taka as primary compensation and gave those 2 pieces of blanket each and 1 bundle Dhewtin (Corrugated iron sheet) to all.

Mentioning that, from 2008-2009, tribal runs movement against Bengali to remove them from Naniyarchar. And force to leave Bengalis; they spread gun powder on Bengalis’ garden, burn crops, cut the crop at night.

Parbatta nagarik Parisad chairperson Engineer Alkas Al Mamun Bhuyan said parbattanews, this is not accident rather tribal criminals made this frequently to eject Bengali from hills. These tribal never appreciate liberation war so that they are doing such devil’s act.
Samaodhikal Andolon General Secretary Moniruzzaman Monir said parbattanews, these criminals are trying to erase Bengali from hills. They have done such thing i.e. torched crops & houses, looted valuables. Just before the Victory Day this incident nothing but preplanned way of spoiling peace in CHT. He demanded arrests who made these at hills unrest