The individuals representing the organization "Jumma Chhatra Janata", which called for a blockade in Khagrachhari, are affiliated with the regional hill organization United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), claimed Supradip Chakma, adviser to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs of the interim government.
He made the statement on Monday night in Rangamati after visiting pandals on the occasion of Sharadiya Durga Puja, reports Prothom Alo.
Supradip Chakma said: “I spoke to the group called Jumma Chhatra Janata today. Six of them came, and all six are from UPDF. Because in Khagrachhari area, there is nothing other than UPDF. I asked them one by one, and they said, ‘All six of us are from UPDF.’”
He added: “This is not a crime; one can have an ideology. I told them, look, what you have done in the last few days, I do not think it was done in a mature way. There is a lack of maturity here.”
The hill affairs adviser further said: “They (the ethnic people) always chant slogans like ‘remove the army’. There are some realities in this world. We cannot easily go beyond those realities. There will come a day when even if we hold them by force, we will not be able to keep them.”
The six who went to meet Adviser Supradip Chakma on Monday on behalf of Jumma Chhatra Janata are—Kripayan Tripura, Chadok Chakma, Pintu Chakma, Toshita Chakma, Manik Chakma, and Bagish Chakma.
When asked, Jumma Chhatra Janata spokesperson Kripayan Tripura said tagging all six as UPDF members is intentional, insulting, and baseless.
He added that if Adviser Supradip Chakma does not withdraw the statement, Jumma Chhatra Janata will not participate in any further discussions. The movement will continue to pursue the legitimate demands of the people.
Angya Marma, one of UPDF’s organizers, said: “Those six are neither our members nor our workers.”
