The motorcade of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) commission has reportedly been attacked by the members of Bangali Somo Odhikar Porishod in Rangamati district on Saturday afternoon.
Commission member Dr Iftekharuzzaman, also executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Rangamati sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Monu Sohel Imtiaz, commission official Iliera Dewan and car driver Nur Hossain were injured during the attack.
Miscreants hurled brick chips on the car, leaving them injured, witnesses said.
Later, police fired several rounds of bullets in the air to disperse the attackers, a police official, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune.
The members of Bangali Somo Odhikar Porishod attacked our motorcade while we were leaving Rangamati district. Some of the committee members were injured in the attack, Hana Shams Ahmed, coordinator of the commission, told the Dhaka Tribune.
With police escort, the car carrying the commission members has left Rangamati district at 4:30pm and it is now on its way to Chittagong.
The members of Bangali Somo Odhikar Porishod have allegedly made the attack on the car protesting the visit of the commission members in Rangamati on Saturday.
Leaders of four Bengali organisations have protested the CHT commission's visit in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) for their “partial role aiming to damage peace and tranquility” in the area.
They jointly held a human chain in front of Shaplachattar area in the hill town Khagrachhari on Saturday morning.
Terming the CHT Commission as a controversial organisation, the leaders urged the government to ban it in CHT.
Also, terming members of CHT commission as brokers, Bangali leaders said they are trying to destroy peace in the hills.
They strongly criticised CHT commissions Co-Chair Sultana Kamal for “spreading propaganda against reputed organisations, including Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh police.”
