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
Friday, November 26, 2010
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.
.............................
Source : chtnews.com
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.
.............................
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.
.............................
Source : chtnews.com
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.
.............................
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.
.............................
Souce : chtnews.com
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.
.............................
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.
.............................
Source : chtnews.com
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.
.............................
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.
.............................
Source : chtnews.com
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.
.............................
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.
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.
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