Niron Chakma, an innocent poor boy from Dewanpara area in Laxmichhari upazila of the district, was on the way to the local stadium on November 11, 2013 to listen live speech of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Besides, his dream was to see father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter directly to enrich himself with her ideology.
But his dream got blurred as some unruly activists of United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) supported Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) conducted ambush attacks on the vehicles moving towards the incumbent PM’s rally.
Hundreds of people including Niron were wounded in the attack run in Hatimura area of Ramgorh upazila.
Niron’s right eye sustained major injuries, and he had to stay in hospital over a year with a frantic struggle to treat the eye, but all his efforts ended in vain and he finally lost sight of the eye.
Niron Chakma narrated his bitter experience to the correspondent at Laxmichhari upazila unit Awami League office on Wednesday.
“I woke up early morning and prepared myself through having bath in my nearby canal to attend PM Sheikh Hasina’s rally in the upazila town late 2013. I reached Laxmichhari Bazar around 7am without breakfast,” Niron said.
After an hour after taking breakfast, he along with some others in a vehicle started moving towards the rally with huge enthusiasm.
“The bleeding started as a stone unfortunately hit my right eye during the attack of the PCP men, and since then my dream of seeing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina face to face remained unfulfilled, even uncertainty loomed over my life with the horrific experience,” he continued in tear.
“My father has become almost landless as he had to sell the lands to bear the cost of my eye treatment during which I did not get any financial assistance from the party men as well,” he went on.
When contacted, District unit Awami League General Secretary Md Jahedul Alam said hundreds of party men including Niron were injured in line with having their vehicles torched by the UPDF and PCP men on November 11, 2013.
The UPDF men tried to foil PM’s Khagrachhari grand rally but their move failed as mass people joined the rally denying their criminal’s activities, Jahedul Alam continued, promising with financial help to Niron in the future.
Jahedul blamed police for delay in arresting 250 UPDF-PCP activists accused in 16 cases filed in the heinous attack.
District UPDF Spokesman Riko Chakma said they enforced road blockade on the day as a part of their democratic right, not to foil PM’s rally.
Riko Chakma said they would continue their legal battle in the lawsuits launched against their party men.
Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Abdul Majid said they have been trying best to arrest the criminals.
Terming attackers enemy of the country, the SP said no criminals would be able to evade law.
