Friday, November 26, 2010

DYF Chittagong city unit conference held

A TWENTY-ONE member committee for the Chittagong City unit of the Democratic Youth Forum was formed at the end of a conference held at Islamabadi Memorial Hall at Cheragi Pahar in the city today.

The conference, attended by hundreds of Jumma youths, was inaugurated by Sachib Chakma, a central committee member of the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF).

In his speech Sachib said, “The Chittagong Hill Tracts is our existence; the CHT comes first in our thoughts.”

He demanded that the CHT is declared a special autonomous area and the traditional land rights of the Jumma people recognized in the constitution of Bangladesh.

The UPDF leader also said that the hill people’s lands are being continuously taken over by outsiders.

“Repression on women has become a serious problem” he said adding, “Nowhere do the Jumma women find themselves safe and secure – be it at home or at workplace.”

Mr Chakma urged the government to rehabilitate the settlers outside the CHT.

Presided over by Supreme Chakma, the inaugural ceremony was also addressed by Advocate Bhulon Bhowmic, president of Jatio Mukti Council Chittagong chapter; Mohammad Hossain Khan, Joint Convenor of the Chittagong Unit of the Democratic Committee Against Imperialism and Fascism; Raqib Uddin, organizer, Naya Ganatantric Gano Mancha; Mithun
Chakma, convenor of Democratic Youth Forum and Konika Dewan, general secretary of the Hill Women’s Federation.

Ziko Marma of Democratic Youth Forum gave a welcome address, while Thomas Chakma conducted the session.

Advocate Bhulon Bhowmik said it is the youth who can destroy the old and rotten society and rebuild a new one.

He reiterated his party’s full support the struggle of the Jumma people for full autonomy, and demanded that the government must pull out the military from CHT.

After the inaugural session, the participants took out a procession, carrying placards and chanting slogans.

In the afternoon session, a 21-member new committee for the DYF Chittagong City unit was formed with Ziko Marma, Thomas Chakma and Polen Chakma elected unanimously as president, general secretary and organizing secretary respectively.
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Source : chtnews.com

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Two DYF activists arrested in Belaichari

TWO members of the Democratic Youth Forum have been arrested in Belaichari under Rangamati district.

A UPDF press release says a group of 10 – 12 army personnel led by Warrant Officer Muhibul from Digholchari Camp arrested them from UPDF office in Belaichari at 12 noon today.

The army also seized some subscription books issued by Jatio Mukti Council for a national convention to be held in Dhaka on 29 November against repression on national minorities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and sealed off the UPDF office, the press release added.

The arrested DYF members are Sumon Chakma, 22, son of Shanti Lal Chakma of village Ghilachari under Kangrachari Union and Mong Prue Marma, 21, son of Mong Chilha Marma of village Bangalkaba under the same Union.

DYF convenor Mithun Chakma and chief organiser of UPDF Rangamati district unit, Shanti Dev Chakma in a joint statement condemned the arrest and urged the authorities concerned to release them unconditionally.

They warned that repeated military intervention with democratic rights of the UPDF and its associated organisations would only result in unsavoury consequences.
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Source : chtnews.com

Jumma girl allegedly murdered in Matiranga

A MUTILATED body of a fourteen-year old Jumma girl has been recovered from a jungle in Matiranga under Khagrachari district. She is believed to have been murdered after rape.

Different sources said Ms Koshmoti Tripura went missing on 15 November while working in a paddy field near their house in the village of Brajendra Karbari Para under Matiranga Upazila.

Her mutilated body was recovered one week later from a jungle. The locals believe she might have been killed after rape.

On Monday, the police arrested Shafiqul Islam (26) on suspicion of being involved in the murder, sheershanews.com and the daily Kalerkantho said.

A case has been filed with Matiranga police station in this connection.

The police yesterday sent her body to Khagrachari Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

The Hill Women’s Federation, a front organisation of the UPDF, has expressed concern and urged the local administration to probe her alleged murder.
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Source : chtnews.com

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Kathin Chibar Dana Festival to be celebrated in Rangamati

The two-day thirty-seventh Kathin Chibar Dana, the biggest Buddhist religious festival in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, will begin tomorrow at Raj Bana Vihara in Rangamati.

The Raj Bana Vihara has chalked out a detailed programme to celebrate the festival.

The chief characteristic of the festival is to make a chibar or Buddhist robe within twenty-four hours through a process that includes spinning of thread from cotton, dying and drying of the yarn, weaving and sewing of the robe.

The robe is then offered to the Bhikkshu Sangha or the communion of monks.

This tradition of offering chibar to the Buddhist monks is thousands of years old, first introduced by Mahaposhika Bishaka, who made a robe within 24 hours in the same process and offered it to the Lord Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.

The tradition was lost in the abyss of time after the mahaparinirbana or great demise of the Buddha.

It was only in 1973 that the Great Bana Bhante (Sadhanananda Mahastabir), the most revered Buddhist monk in Bangladesh, revived it in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in its original form.

The robe making ceremony will be inaugurated by Rajmata Aroti Roy at 2:45pm on 18 November, and the robe will be offered to the Bhikkhu Sangha at 2:50pm the next day.

Bana Bhante will receive the chibar on behalf of the Bhikkhu Sangha.

Another chief feature of the Kathin Chibar Dana festival at Raj Bana Vihara is deshana or religious discourse by Bana Bhante.

He is expected to give his deshana at 10am and 4:40pm on 19 November.

Hundreds of thousands of people gather at Raj Bana Vihar every year during this festival to listen to his deshana.

The programmes also include accepting pancha sila or five precepts by volunteers, hoisting Buddhist flag, offering breakfast to the Vhikkhu Sangha, rendering religious songs, Sangha Dana (offering to the community of monks), Ashta Parishakar Dana or offering of eight essential elements to the monks, Pinda Dana or offering food alms to the monks, prayer for world peace, speech by senior vice president and general secretary of Vihar management committee, speech by Chakma Raja Debahish Roy, the chief patron of Raj Bana Vihar and pradeep puja or offering candlelight.

The Kathin Chibar Dana festival is celebrated after the end of a three-month long barsha basha or rainy season retreat of the Buddhist monks.

It is also celebrated in various Buddhist temples in Bangladesh as well as other Bana Viharas (Buddhsit temples established by Ven. Bana Bhante’s disciples) in Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Buddha Gaya in India.

This year the festival is being celebrated in the backdrop of an attack on Jumma villages in Sajek on 19 – 20 February and the destruction of several Kuhirs or meditation cottages a few days ago in Barkal.

The Sajek attack left at least four villagers dead and over four hundred Jumma houses and two Buddhist temples burnt.

Religious persecution is rampant in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, one of the highly militarized zones on earth, where an estimated 90,000 troops still remain deployed.
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Souce : chtnews.com

Friday, November 12, 2010

UPDF supporter tortured in Jurachari

A SUPPORTER of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) has been tortured in Jurachari under Rangamati district.

According to sources a group of armed militants led by Promesh Chakma and Tuphan Chakma raided the village of Jamurachari (Kanthaltuli) under Jurachari Union No. 1 around 10am today and allegedly beat up Niranjan Chakma, 37, son of Daya Mohan Chakma.

Mr. Chakma is known to be a supporter of the UPDF. He is now undergoing treatment at his home.

The militants, belonging to the Santu Larma faction of the Jana Samhati Samiti, told him that he was being tortured for providing active support to the UPDF, a regional political party of the Jumma people fighting for full autonomy for Chittagong Hill Tracts through peaceful means.

The armed men also forcibly took away Taka 50 thousand from him, and told him not to report the incident to the media and the police.

“If you refuse to do what we have told you to do, you’ll face a consequence more severe than this one.” they warned.
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Source : chtnews.com

Two UPDF supporter kidnapped in Jurachari

TWO supporters of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF) are
reported to have been kidnapped in Jurachari under Rangamati district.

A UPDF press release says a group of 10 – 12 armed militants led by
Pramesh Chakma kidnapped ex-UP member Chigon Morot Chakma, 45, son of
Kali Charan Chakma and Prati Moy Chakma, 38, son of Bharat Barsha
Chakma from their homes in Lulongchari village (Poschim Para) around 6
in the morning today.

The armed militants, belonging to the Santu Larma faction of the Jana
Samhati Samiti, also fired four rounds of blank shots to create panic
among the villagers.

UPDF leader Shanti Dev Chakma condemned the incident and urged JSS
president Santu Larma to shun the politics of self-destruction and to
join in the struggle for establishing just rights of the Jumma people.

Manson Chakma released
Meanwhile, Mansonn Chakma, a 16-year old school boy, who was kidnapped
by JSS members (Santu faction) from Rangamati stadium on November 9,
has been released.
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Source : chtnews.com

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Breaking News : Chakma Rajbari gutted

Breaking news:

The Chakma Rajbari in Rangamati has been burnt down after a fire balloon released by JSS during the observance of M N Larma’s death anniversary landed on it.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

PCP activist kidnapped in Rangamati

A MEMBER of the Hill Students’ Council (PCP), a front organisation ofthe United Peoples Democratic Front, has been kidnapped from Rangamati town, sources in PCP say.

The kidnappee has been identified as Manson Chakma, 16, son of Shashi Bhushan Chakma of village Kalabonya in Kaokhali Upazila.

He is a member of Kaokhali High School branch of the PCP and a candidate for Secondary School Certificate exam.

A group of JSS members (Santu Larma faction) abducted him from Rangamati stadium around 4pm today. He went there to watch a football match.

The JSS men herded him into an auto rickshaw and drove towards Rangapani, PCP said.
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Source : chtnews.com

UP member kidnapped by Santu group in Belaichari

A UNION Council member has been kidnapped by armed terrorists in
Belaichari under Rangamati district.

Sources said a group of 8 armed militants led by Bipul Chakma raided
the village of Kerengchari and abducted Mr. Shugandhi Bhushan Chakma,
48, from his home. He is a member of Kangarachari Union Council.

The armed gang, belonging to Santu Larma faction of the Jana Samhati
Samiti, also reportedly snatched away ten mobile handsets from the
villagers in Dhupchar and Shalbon.

UPDF has condemned the abduction of Mr. Chakma and urged the
government to take necessary steps to rescue him.
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Source : chtnews.com

Monday, November 8, 2010

Demo against garrison expansion in Ruma

THE people of Ruma have staged a demonstration to register their
protest against a proposal for land acquisition for expansion of Ruma
garrison in Bandarban.

The proposed plan, originally developed in 1977, seeks to acquire
9,560 acres of land, and if implemented, it will displace thousands of
Jumma people, especially members of ethnic Mro nationality.

However, no governments in the past approved of the project,
considering the potential damage that it might cause to the
environment as well as to ethnic societies.

During the state of emergency between 2007 and 2008, there was another
unsuccessful attempt on the part of the army to restart the process of
acquiring the land.

The process was been revived recently after Lt. Col. Wasim was
transferred to Ruma garrison from Baghaihat, where he oversaw the
persecution of ethnic minorities.

In the rally, held today at Upazila Auditorium under the banner of
People from All Walks of Life in Ruma, the inhabitants once again
voiced their opposition to the proposed plan for expansion of Ruma
garrison.

Presided over by Numlai Mro, headman of Pantola Mouza, the rally was
also addressed by Mongcha Ching Marma, member of Galenga UP (Ward No.
8), Cham-a-u Marma, headman of Chanda Mouza and Kyoching Prue Marma,
Karbari or village head of Rumachar Para, Sengu Mouza.

The rally, which was preceded by a procession in Ruma bazaar, was
conducted by Loprue Marma and Proshaprue Marma.

The speakers urged the government to discard the plan altogether and
warned that they would launch tougher programmes including sit-in in
front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban, if the
process of acquiring their lands is not stopped immediately.

They also lodged their protest at the government plan to acquire
another 25 acres of land for the purpose of constructing a Bangladesh
Rifles headquarters in Ruma.
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Source : chtnews.com

Photo : Damaged cottage of Triratna Bana Sadhana Kuthir, Subholong, Rangamati 26 October 2010

Photo : 01

Photo : 02


On 26 October 2010 at night 4:00 a.m. a Buddhist temple named ‘Triratna Bono Sadhana Kuthir’ located at Chegeya Chhari (Amtola) of No. 1 Suvolong union under Barkol upazila (sub-district) of Rangamati Hill District came under attack of Bangladesh Army. There are also 12 small Kuthirs (cottage) as part of and including the main temple ‘Triratna Bono Sadhana Kuthir’. It is mentionable that the Kuthirs (cottage) are used as meditation place.






Sunday, November 7, 2010

Physically challenged Jumma girl raped in Manikchari

A PHYSICALLY challenged Jumma girl was gang raped by four settler youths in Manikchari under Khagrachari district, the victim,Muichinung Marma, 13, and her family members alleged.

The police arrested two settler youths in this connection and sent them to jail. The incident occurred on 3 November in the village of Godatuli under Borbil Union of Manichari Upazila.

The Suprabhat Bangladesh, a Bengali daily published from Chittagong, quoting police, said, four delinquent youths picked her up from her family home around 10pm, took her to Ramiz Tila (hill top), raped her by turn and then left her unconscious.

When her relatives were looking for her in the morning, her younger sister told them that Kashem, a settler youth, entered their room the previous night.

Then her parents brought the matter to the notice of local Union Council member, Abdul Mannan, who immediately ran to Kashem’s house to inquire about it.

After repeated interrogation, Kashem admitted to his involvement in the incident and told the names of the other rapists and the location where they had left the girl.

The locals then rescued the victim and detained Abul Kashem (26) and Delwar Hossain (22) until the police arrived.

The victim, Muichinung Marma, filed a rape case with Manikchari police station under Women and Children Repression Act, accusing four settler youths.

The other two accused – Mohammad Belal (25) son of Abul Boshor and Md. Raju – have not been arrested yet, her father Mr Alu Aung Marma said.

The Hill Women’s Federation president Ms Sonali Chakma condemned the rape of Muichinung Marma and expressed her deep concern over the rise of incidence of sexual violence against Jumma women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts over the last few months.

She urged the government to take effective steps, including severe punishment for the culprits, to reverse the trend.
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Source : chtnews.com

Another sexual assault in Kobakhali

FOUR Jumma women were allegedly subjected to sexual assault by settler youths in Kobakhali village under Dighinala Upazila.

The incident occurred around 3pm on 5 November when the Jumma women were on their way back home from a nearby jungle. They went there to gather wild fruits and vegetables.

As soon as they reached Roshya Moni Karbari Para area the settlers suddenly appeared and grabbed the women.

When they screamed for help, members of the paramilitary Ansar from a nearby camp rushed there and detained Md. Shohag (27) son of Abdul Kashem of Ambagan village and Md. Nazim Uddin (22) son of Abdul Malek of village Ali Nagar.

Later, they were handed over to Dighinala police station.

The Jumma women who were subjected to the sexual assault are Ripana Chakma (22) wife of Kingkor Chakma, Tusha Rani Chakma (25) wife of Milon Joti Chakma, Rita Chakma (24) wife of Kamal Joti Chakma and Parani Chakma (23) wife of Jangalya Chakma.

They are from the village of Kobakhali Headman Para.
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Source : chtnews.com

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Attempted rape in Mahalchari

A JUMMA girl was subjected to a rape attempt in the village of Lemuchari under Mahalchari Upazila in Khagrachari district.

The incident took place on 18 October. According to a belated report, Ms Ila Talukder (21) was taking a break from work at the courtyard of their house about 8pm when Zahidul Islam (24), a Bengali settler from Maddyom Lemuchari village, tried to rape her.

When Ila screamed for help her mother Sadhana came out of the house to save her. But Zahidul, without being intimidated, swooped on her as well.

Then both the mother and the daughter screamed for help, and Sadhana’s husband Bimal Kanti Talukder rushed there and caught Zahidul red handed.

He handed culprit over to the settler leaders, seeking justice from them. But as they failed to take any punitive actions against him, Bimal Kanti filed a criminal case with Mahalchari police station.

To date, even police have failed to take any actions to bring Zahidul to justice.

In another incident, on 15 August, a class ninth girl student of Lemuchari High School, Asha Chakma was subjected to a raped attempt by Md. Harun and Rahimuddin – two settlers from Lemuchari cluster village.

When she resisted the rapists hit and broke one of her teeth. The main culprit of this incident is still at large.
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Source : chtnews.com

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Land acquisition process restarts in Ruma?

THE process of land acquisition for expansion of Ruma garrison in the
southern CHT district of Bandarban seems to have restarted.

On 24 and 31 October, Ruma zone commander Lt. Col. Wasim held meetings
with local Jumma headmen, Karbaris (village heads) and village elders
in this regard, an elected Jumma representative told chtnews.com on
condition of anonymity.

Lt. Col. Wasim was the commander of Baghaihat zone when attacks on
Jumma villages took place on 19 – 20 February this year, resulting in
the death of at least four Jumma villagers and burning down of over
400 houses.

“The commander asked the Jummas to show him their land documents and
told them that the process of land acquisition for the expansion of
Ruma garrison will restart soon”, he further said quoting meeting
sources.

The army has been trying to acquire some 9,560 acres of land in Ruma
since 1977. However, no government in the past, including the
immediate past military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed,
has approved of the proposal considering the likely environmental and
cultural damage that it would cause to the area and the people.

If implemented, the project will displace thousands of Jummas, mainly
from Mro community and destroy the greenery of the area.
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Source : chtnews.com