The Independent, 22 September 2003
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/sep/22/22092003pl.htm#A3
UNB, Khagrachhari
Sept 21: A big rally here today held Shantu Larma squarely responsible for inciting parochialism in the Hill Tracts and demanded his immediate dismissal from the chairmanship of the Regional Council.
Speakers at the rally also accused Larma and his associates of disturbing communal harmony, promoting unrest, extortion, abduction and issued threat of expelling him from the Hill Tracts for the sake of ensuring peace.
Angry people also burnt the effigy of Shantu Larma.
Khagrachhari Hill District Parishad chairman and BNP leader Laxman Lal Dev Barman, Jamaat leader Syed Abdul Momen, Probin Chakma, Animesh Chakma, Harunur Rashid, Mustafizur Rahman, Babu Sing Chowdhury, Mandidra Kishore Tripur and Abdus Salam spoke at the rally presided over by Ramgarh Poura chairman Belayet Hossain Bhuiyan.
Referring to Shantu Larma, the speakers at the rally questioned how could he (Larma) show audacity to criticise the Prime Minister who is also chairperson of Hill Tracts Development Board.
It is Shantu Larma and his associates who have let loose terrorism, extortion and abduction across the hill districts, they said.
They said all residents of the hill districts were suffering from insecurity of life and property and demanded presence of the army in the region until peace is restored.
The rally advanced a 10-point demand including strong measures to check terrorism, extortion and abduction, stoppage of preparation of dual voter list and withdrawal of order for land settlement.
Held at Shapla Chattar the rally was billed as the largest since the alliance
government came to power two years ago. It was attended by hundreds of people
representing all sections.