Our Correspondent, Rangamati
Nine indigenous women, three of a family, were gangraped and some others assaulted during nearly eight-hour mob attacks on at least 10 villages in Mohalchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district on Wednesday, Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) leader Polash Khisha alleged yesterday.
More than 400 houses in those villages, two Buddhist temples and three shops were set ablaze and an elderly indigenous man was killed during the attacks, said Polash, PCJSS Rangamati district unit secretary.
Polash made the allegations at a protest rally in front of the deputy commissioner's
office here at 11:00am.
The rape victims included the wife and two teenage daughters of a Chakma man
of Pahartoli village and six others of Dupoizza Neel village, he said.
Quoting a detailed report from indigenous villagers, the PCJSS leader alleged
involvement of some security personnel in instigating the mob into attacking
the villages.
Polash also said an eight-month-old baby named Chikko Chakma, son of Shamiron Chakma, died in his arms as he pressed the child's mouth to prevent him from crying to avert attacks by the mob while fleeing his house in Karengalal village.
The PCJSS leader alleged a vested quarter is making fresh bids to worsen the
situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region and the Mohalchhari incident
is the latest one.
The rally was chaired by PCJSS' student wing Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) Rangamati
district unit president Ashin Chakma and addressed by, among others, PCP central
leader Binotamoy Tripura and Tulu Marma.
Earlier, the district unit PCP also brought out a procession that paraded thoroughfares of the town.
Meanwhile, the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) has called a 72-hour
road blockade programme in the hill district from 6:00am today to realise its
six-point demand, reports UNB.
UPDF leaders announced the programme at a press conference here yesterday to
press for their demands, including formation of a judicial inquiry committee,
to probe the recent incidents of killing and arson in Mohalchhari Upazila.