The Independent, 3 September 2003
STAFF REPORTER
The three-day long road barricade programme of United People’s Democratic Forum (UPDF), a hard-line tribal outfit, ended yesterday.
Although no major untoward incidents were reported during the 72 hours of road blockade enforced by the UPDF, the picketers have reportedly set an auto tempo on fire at Baillachhari of Matiranga upazila.
Our Khagrachhari correspondent reports that UPDF on Monday raised a six-point demands in a press statement and said they would continue the road blockade programme.
It is reported that Buddhist monks of Khagrachhari also handed over a six-point memorandum to the Prime Minister through the District Administration on Monday.
Meanwhile, the main tribal political party JSS on Monday held a meeting presided over by its Mahalchhari section chief Bimal Kanti Chakma. The meeting was addressed, among others, by JSS organising secretary Shaktipada Tripura, president of Hill Women’s Federation Chaitali Tripura, JSS assistant-general secretary Tatindra Lal Chakma and JSS student and youth affairs secretary Braja Kishore Tripura.
The demands included formation of a Judicial Probe Commission, reconstruction of the Buddhist monasteries burnt and damaged by Bangalee settlers, ensuring religious freedom of the tribal people in CHT region, arrest of persons responsible for arson and killing of a tribal leader last week and compensation for the victims.
Later DC of Khagrachhari held a meeting on law and order situation in Mahalchhari.
The meeting was also addressed by Dr. Subhas Das, convener of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Forum, Prabin Chandra Chakma, District Awami League convener, Jatindra Lal Tripura, local ameer of Jamaat Syed Abdul Momen, Joint convener of district Youth Party Mostafizur Rahman Millat, UPDF leaders Milton Chakma and Samari Chakma, Municipality Chairman Monog Ka Ching Chowdhury and local Chhatra Dal president Jainal Abedin.
The meeting was told that the government has taken legal action against those fomented troubles in the region.
JSS, however, boycotted the meeting.