Two years after the barbaric attacks on temples and houses of the Buddhists in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar even after the temples have been reconstructed, locals still do not feel secure as the alleged perpetrators are moving freely and even holding important positions despite facing charges.
The people who voiced concerns after the attack and took initiatives of filing cases have been living in fear as some of the masterminds are now in the good books of local political leaders, while some others are now on bail and have become threat to the witnesses.
A number of locals seeking anonymity said they could not sleep well in the nights as the memories haunt them. They do not want to see such brutality again, and for that they want quick trial of the cases and exemplary punishment to the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, a proposal to include army personnel as members of the advisory committees at the temples have created division among the Buddhists. Some monks have termed the move unacceptable considering it as an interference.
Many youths welcoming the decision said when no one from outside the area could help them, the army gave them shelter and ensured security.
On September 29, 2012, the local Muslims took part in an anti-Buddhist devastation following a rumour that the Qur’an had been defamed by a Buddhist on Facebook. Witnesses say not only the members of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, but also the ruling Awami League men were involved in the attacks stage-managed in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar sadar, Ukhiya and Teknaf areas.
The Supreme Court on May 12 ordered key suspect Tofail Ahmed, chairman of Naikkhyangchhari upazila of Bandarban, to surrender before a lower court in Cox’s Bazar within four weeks in connection with the attack and vandalism of a Buddhist temple at Ramu. But he is still enjoying his chairmanship.
Law enforcers arrested Tofail on November 29 last year. However, he was released from jail on April 8 this year following a High Court order. The Chamber Judge of the Supreme Court stayed the order on April 17 following an appeal filed by the government. It also sent the matter to the full bench of the apex court for hearing. The Supreme Court then disposed of the appeal cancelling the bail.
According to the probe body formed by the Home Ministry, a meeting was held at Tofail’s residence a day before the attacks that destroyed around 18 temples and 50 houses of the Buddhist community.
Police on February 3 submitted charge sheets in six cases accusing 358 suspects for their alleged involvement in the attacks. In all the charge sheets, Tofail has been named as the mastermind.
As the names of a number of top attackers have been dropped from the charge sheet, the people who testified before the judicial inquiry committee are living in fear, local journalist Sunil Barua alleges.
Jhantu Barua, a youth organiser, said the young people of the area had been divided in many small groups after the attack due to interference by the outsiders. Creating the division was one of the aims of the onslaughts.
Police said then Ukhiya upazila chairman and Jamaat leader Shahjalal Chowdhury, and incumbent chairman and former upazila unit secretary of the BNP Sarowar Jahan Chowdhury were charged in three other cases for attacking temples in the area.
Currently, both the accused are on bail but removed from their positions.
Earlier, police submitted charge sheets in 11 other cases filed in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar sadar upazila, Ukhiya and Teknaf accusing 324 people.
In total, 682 people have been charge sheeted in 19 cases filed over the attacks.
Fear also grips Satyaprio Mohathero, a senior monk, said: “As Buddhists, we are non-violent and never think about violence. We do not want the nightmare to come back but we are still in fear of something which I cannot identify yet.”
Bankim Barua, general secretary of Buddhist Federation in Cox’s Bazar, said after separate investigations, the Home Ministry probe committee named 205 people as accused while the judicial inquiry committee led by Chittagong Session Judge Abdul Kuddus Mia found the involvement of 298 people in the attacks.
Tofayel Ahmed, additional SP of Cox’s Bazar, said police were active to arrest the suspects. He said he did not know that the prime suspects were yet to be arrested saying that he had joined in the district after submission of the charge sheets.
