AT least ten persons have been injured in an attack carried out by members of the Bangladesh Army in Laxmichari under Khagrachari district.
The injured also include Aongay Marma, president of Hill Student’s Council. He received an injury in the forehead above the left eye.
According to sources in Laxmichari, the UPDF-backed Hill Students Council today threw a reception for those who passed in the Junior School Certificate (JSC) and primary school exams.
Hundreds of students and their parents participated in the reception held at Chaillyatoli under Dullyatoli Union, about 5km north of Laxmichari Upazila headquarters.
Narrating the incident, PCP president Aongay Marma said: “At about 12:30pm a group of army personnel from Laxmichari zone came in three pick up vans and surrounded us. They snatched away a video camera from us and ordered us to disperse.”
“When we refused to disperse and told them that as citizens of Bangladesh we have every right to participate in any peaceful assembly, they attacked us with batons, brickbats and gunshots.” He continued.
He said the army men were led by Laxmichari zone commander Lt. Col. Salauddin Al Murad.
Another source said the women participants had tried to defend themselves against the excesses of the army and hit them with “biong”, a traditional weaving instrument of the Jumma women.
“Two or three army personnel including Lt. Col Salauddin Al Murad might have been hurt,” he said.
The army had to fire eight rounds of gunshots before staging a retreat.
The gunshots dispersed the participants and the soldiers returned to their camp.
However, the people gathered again after the army had gone and resumed the programme.
The UPDF in a statement condemned the attack, saying, “All kinds of civil liberties and fundamental rights of the citizens are now trampled under foot by the army in CHT.”
It accused the army of pushing the CHT politics towards instability.
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Source : chtnews.com
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