Bangalee settlers yesterday morning set fire to at least 50 houses in three villages and seven shops owned by indigenous people in Bogachhari of Naniachar in the district, reportedly in the presence of army personnel.
At least 10 people were injured as police charged batons on the attackers during the incident.
Following the incident, the local administration visited the area and later formed an 11-member probe committee led by upazila Chairman Shaktiman Chakma. The district administration gave the affected indigenous families Tk1 lakh as compensation.
The incident follows destruction of around 20,000 saplings of pineapple and segun on Monday night in an orchard owned by a person named Afsar Ali, who allegedly grabbed it from Padmo Ranjan Chakma.
Naniachar OC Md Abdur Rashid also confirmed the incidents to the Dhaka Tribune.
Witnesses said the Bangalis gathered at Bogachhari yesterday morning alleging that the indigenous people had damaged the saplings. Then they torched seven shops owned by indigenous people on Rangamati-Khagrachhari road.
Later they attacked adjacent Suridas Para, Nabin Talukder Para and Bogachhari Para, looted around 50 houses and then set those on fire.
All this happened in front of a team of Bangladesh Army present near the scene. Locals alleged that the army personnel made no attempt to quell the situation rather assisted the settlers in conducting the attack.
Protesting the attack, the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road was blockaded by the United People’s Democratic Front. It claimed that the settlers also assaulted a monk in Karuna Buddha Bihar and snatched four Buddha idols.
In a statement, the UPDF alleged that the army team present on the spot had poured petrol on an already burning shop. As the indigenous people protested an altercation had begun between them. At that time, Ananda Chakma, Subintu Chakma and Mishon Chakma were beaten up severely.
On the other hand, the settlers alleged that the indigenous people had damaged the pineapple and segun farms, and also torched the houses in a planned way.
President of Parbatya Nagorik Parishad Alkas Al Mamun said: “It is not a stray incident. The pahari [indigenous] criminal groups do not accept the independence of Bangalis. They carried out the attacks to divert the people’s attention and demean the spirit of the Victory Day.”
Secretary General of Parbatya Chattagram Sama Odhikar Andolon Md Moniruzzaman echoed Mamun. He claimed that the criminals belonging to indigenous groups had long been torturing and persecuting the Bangalis to uproot them from the area.
BNP General Secretary of Naniachar upazila unit Md Nuruzzaman alleged that the indigenous people on Monday had damaged pineapple saplings in 4 hectares of area and cut off 20,000 segun saplings. “They do this every year. Now they are blaming the Bangalis.”
