The mainstream media diverted their attention from the agonies of Langadhu incident, after the mudslides in three hill districts of Chittagong occurred and drew national and global outcry. Several citizens, political and youth groups were prevented and forced to return by the military, police and paramilitary forces from visiting the spot of violent clash in Longadu in Rangamati district on June 2, from 9:30 am to 2 pm. The groups had two objectives--first to express solidarity and second to provide succour to the victims.
Around 250 houses were torched during the arson attack. Among the worst places of violence, 94 houses and shops in Tintila of Longadu Sadar, 88 houses in Manikjor-chara and 42 houses in Batya Para were attacked, looted and torched. During the incident, Guna Mala Chakma (75) was roasted in her house.
Several civil society groups and media outlets squarely blamed the Bangalee settlers for inciting riot, arson and looting of the homes of the indigenous people of the hill. The settlers, who were brought from land-hungry plain lands and forcibly settled in the hill-forests by the Bangladesh Army during the period of 1976-1990.
According to a probe report of the Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), the Bangalee settlers led by the local Awami League-Juba League leaders and activists perpetrated an organized attack involving arson and looting of Jumma (indigenous people) houses in Tintila of Longadu Sadar upazila and in the adjacent Manikjorchara and Batya Para, while the army-police forces remained silent spectators.
Witnesses alleged that the army and police forces remained silent and instead provided tacit support to the perpetrators. The plunderers looted valuables, including cattle and other livestock while leaving the pigs dead. None of the 250 families of Tintila, Manikjorchara and Batya Para villages could save their family property and could somehow manage to escape death in single clothe only.
The incident caused 150 families of Tintila, 150 families from Manikjorchara, 120 families from Batya Para, 100 families from Sonai, 100 families from Atarakchara, 50 families from Jatramura and 50 families from Mahajan Para, about one thousand families of 6,000 lives were made shelter less. They took refuge in the nearby localities in others villages in hill forests.
When the communal tension was bubbling on June 1, the local Jumma leaders and public representatives including General Secretary of PCJSS Longadu branch called on 2 EBR Longadu army zone and OC of Longadu police station Mominul Islam, apprised the authorities of their apprehension of security of the Jumma people and urged the authorities not to allow the settlers to hold procession with the dead body.
On the request, the 2nd-in-Command (2IC) of Longadu zone Major Rafique and Subeder Major Mohammed Rafique visited the Jumma people at night and assured to the affect that since organizing procession is a democratic right of the settlers; they will be allowed to stage the procession.
But also said there will be army and police protection to ensure security and no untoward incident will be allowed to occur. On June 2, the OC of Longadu police station and Subader Major Md Rafique again approached the Jumma people in Tintila in the morning and assured of security of the hill people.
Despite the presence of army-police forces commanded by the Longadu Army Zone Commander Lt Col Abdul Alim Chowdhury psc, 2IC Major Rafique and the OC, the settlers looted and torched the shops and houses of the Jumma people.
Many eyewitnesses claimed that the army and police forces did not prevent the settlers from looting and torching the property of the Jumma people. However, the army and police authorities argued that it was not possible to control thousands of agitated people.
Despite repeated assurance committed on part of the army zone and police station authorities and considering the incident of unabated attacks, looting and setting fire to the houses and shops of the Jumma people that too occurred in their very presence.
A case under Penal Code sections 143/ 147/ 148/ 447/ 448/ 427/ 436/ 186/ 353 was filed by Sub-Inspector Dulal Hossain of Longadu police station against 15 persons by name and 300 unknown on June 2 last.
Meanwhile, police arrested seven persons named in the complaint, who belonged to BNP and other political parties. But it was alleged that the main perpetrators of looting and arson who belonged to the ruling Awami League and Juba League remain behind the curtains of the law enforcing agency.
Latest News