Students of different departments take part in a human chain organised to protest against the death of Romel Chakma and demanding an end to extrajudicial killings COURTESY
Two associate professors – Basumitra Chakma and Sumon Ganguly – spoke at the human chain formed in front of the campus’ Shaheed Minar. Several hundred Bangali and adivasi students of different departments participated in the event.
Leaders of the campus units of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Chhatra Federation and Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) expressed solidarity with the protest and demanded justice for the death of Romel.
On Wednesday, Chhatra Union activists came under attack by Parbatya Bangali Chhatra Parishad (PBCP) members in Rangamati town for demanding punishment for the army personnel responsible for Romel’s death and using the term adivasi (indigenous peoples) to demand due rights for them.Also Read- Chhatra Union activists attacked over ‘adivasi’ term
A platform of Bangali youths linked to different political parties in the CHT, the Chhatra Parishad demands cancellation of the 1997 peace accord and ban on UPDF among other issues, alleging that the Bangalis of the CHT have been discriminated.
Pahari Chhatra Parishad leader Romel ChakmaRomel, general secretary of Naniarchar Upazila unit PCP, was picked up by the army personnel of Naniarchar camp on April 5, and handed over to the police in critical condition. Police admitted him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where he died on April 19.
The PCP observed a daylong blockade in Rangamati on Sunday and submitted memorandum to the home minister and the deputy commissioner on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, they observed “boycott Naniarchar Bazar” programme over the same issue. Trading at the market came to a standstill as the indigenous peoples refrained from buying and selling products.
Buddhist students of Dhaka University staged a demonstration on the campus Wednesday in protest against communal hatred spread by a national daily.
The organisers say in an article published on Monday, the Daily Janakantha newspaper termed Gautama Buddha a terrorist and alleged that Buddhist monasteries were den of criminals which hurt the religious sentiment of the peace-loving Buddhist people of the country.
On Thursday, members of Buddha Moitree Kallyan Sangha staged a demonstration in front of the Khagrachhari Press Club condemning the same news report by the Bangla daily.
They formed a human chain in the morning and later submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner seeking action against the reporter.Also Read- PCP observes sit-in over Romel Chakma’s death
Apart from the PBCP, some Bangali groups and a number of newspapers have been spreading propaganda since Romel’s death apparently to justify his detention and death. During Sunday’s blockade, the PCP activists burned the Daily Kaler Kantho newspapers in Rangamati for branding Romel Chakma as a terrorist and claiming that he succumbed to injuries he had received from a road accident.
