Extortion,land grabbing were reasons behind arson attacks on tribal villages at Taindong, Khagrachari on Aug 3 JAGARAN CHAKMA, back

from Khagrachari DHAKA, AUG 27: Extortion and land grabbing were behind the attack on the ethnic minorities of several villages in Taindong union under Matiranga upzila of the Khagrachari district on August 3, carried out allegedly by certain Bangali settlers snapping the ties between the neighbours living side by side for a long time, local people and administration claims. It came up during a visit by this correspondent in the area visiting a number of remote villages in the hills on the fringe of the border with north eastern Indian state of Tripura the different affected villages in Taindong, where Bangalee settlers on August 3 swooped on the ethnic people. District administration and police indirectly admitted that the elements who put up the excuse of extortion for attacking ethnic minority villages of Taindong union in Khagrachari, their intention was to grab the lands of their ethnic neighbours,they were sharing their lives so far peacefully. Even the local Awami league leader and settlers representative Md. Hanif, local Bangalis and ethnic people voiced the same allegation against the culprits, 14 of them had already been arrested by the police on charges of rioting, torching homes of tribes people and sent off to jail. In this attack, a total of 36 houses of ethnic people, including a Buddhist temple were set on fire in four villages of the bordering Taindong union of Matiranga. Of them 19 houses in Sorbeswar Para, 12 in Baga Para, two in Talukdar Para and three in Bandarshing Para (Bhagaban Tila) were raged to ashes. The attackers also ransacked and looted valuables worth of about Taka one Crore ransacking around 400 houses in the ethnic peoples homes along with a Buddhist temple, Sorbeswar Para Janashakti Bouddha Vihar. At least 2000 people from 454 ethnic families n crossed over the border and took shelter in the no mans land between Bangladesh and Tripura. Apart from this, around 1,500 persons of 380 families belonging to Tripura community also fled to the neighbouring Panchari upazila of Khagrachari district, trekking about 20 km through rugged forest clad hills, while 35 other families fled to the jungle. How it started: On August 3, at noon, some Bangali settlers spread a rumour in the local bazaar a settler Mohammad Kamal Hossain with another settler riding a rented motor bike, had been

abducted by unknown ethnic people from Bandarshing Para in Taindang area. It brought some settlers uttering anti tribal slogans and swooped on the ethnic villages with sticks and sharp weapons and went on torching the tribal homes. Administration sources said, Kamal Hossain, himself spread the rumour of his abduction by the ethnic people after going into hiding, and the Parbattya Sama Adhikar Andolon, a settlers group preaching equal rights with the tribes people was mainloy responsible behind the attack. On August 4, state minister for CHT affairs Dipankar Talukdar MP, chairman of the Khagrachari Hill District Council Kujendra Lal Tripura, Guimara sector commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Lt Col Imdadul Haque and Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari district Masud Karim visited the Taindong area. They went to the border and requested the ethnic villagers at the no mans land to return home. Around 2,000 of them who had crossed the border agreed to return to their villages following a security guarantee by Dipankar Talukdar and Kujendra Lal Tripura. Besides the state minister also pledged to provide adequate compensation for the damages and bring into trial the people responsible for the looting and arson attacks. Who are involved in the attack: According to the police the attack was led by Sirajul Islam Siraji, former chairman of Taindong Union and organising secretary of Matiranga unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Abed Ali, a member of Taindong Union parishad, Nayeb Ali, Kamal Hossain, who fanned the rumours of his kidnapping , Kashem Member,a member of Taindong UP and a few other local Awami League and BNP leaders. Role of Police and Local administration: According to the additional superintendent of police Jainul Abedin and officers in charge of Matiranga Police station Main Uddin Khan, the abduction drama of one Kamal Hossein was manipulated by former union parishad chairman of Taindong union Sirajul Islam, an activist of the PSA. Jainul Abedin the additional superintendent of police informed that their investigation is at its final stage. Additional district magistrate Md. Mojammel Huq, head of a probe committee formed by the government said, they will take action against the people who committed the crimes as they gathered enough evidence showing it was a premeditated attack by certain elements. He also alleged that elements from regional political parties were involved in the incident as they are involved in extortions in the locality. When contacted secretary of CHT affairs ministry, Naba Bikram Tripura told The

Independent that it tool place due to negligence of the local administration, the police and the BGB members. He said, a permanent police outpost will be set up immediately in the area to avoid any kind of untoward incident in future as per recommendations by the parliamentary standing committee on CHT affairs ministry on August 26. CHT affairs secretary also said that the members of the parliamentary standing committee will visit the affected area on September 4 as well as Prime Ministers International Affairs adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi will also visit the area on September 8. Relief Local administration provided some relief for the affected people immediately. A total of 35 families whos house were burnt got 30 kilogram rice, cash Tk 7500, three units CIC sheet, cheque of Tk 9000 for repairing houses, dry food, candle, and text book for the students. Besides, Tk 3000 cash, 30 kg rice, dry food for 330 families who vandalised during the attack as well as Tk 20,000 for the Buddhist temple. On the other hand Citizen Committee on Taindong attack provided Tk 297,000 cash for the affected tribe people on August 25. Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura further said already assessment has been conducted to rehabilitee the affected people permanently. Publicity secretary of United People Democratic Front (UPDF) Niron Chakma allegd the local leaders of both the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP took part in the attack. About the attack on tribe people Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) has said Bangalee settlers planned the August 3 attack on the indigenous people at Taindong in Khagrachhari to grab their land. In a probe report on the incident, the PCJSS also has said the administration is trying to shift the blame on the BNP by saying the main opposition party had plotted the attack to tarnish the image of the country. Ends/ Jagaran