Our Correspondent, Rangamati
The law and order slide in the hills in recent days has created a concern among
political leaders of the ruling and the opposition parties.
Deputy Minister for Chiitagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Moniswapon Dewan at
a meeting with officials here on Saturday expressed his anguish and called upon
the administration including the police department to go all out to improve
the situation.
He asked the law enforcers to nab criminals irrespective of their party affiliations
and assured government backing in their impartial actions.
Minister for Fisheries and Livestock, Abdullah-al- Noman also attended the meeting,
held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner's office.
Moniswapon said crimes are being done by vested quarters in a planned way to
defame the government. Only impartial and stern action can check those, he told
the officials.
"You must act now to improve law and order. The situation in the CHT is
completely different from the rest of the country", he said.
Local leaders of different political parties including Selim Chowdhury of Awami
League and Dilip Dey of CPB,, Upazila Nirbahee Officers of all 10 upazila and
Officers-in-Charge of all police stations in the district attended the meeting.
At the meeting, Rangamati district Awami League President and former lawmaker
Diponkor Talukder said the law and order will not improve unless all unauthorised
arms are recovered.
"Thousands of indigenous youths and even some Bangalees possess illegal
arms," he said.
Crimes including murder and abduction have increased making people's life and
property insecure, he said.
Between July 29 and August 5, five people including an army man were killed
and 11 others abducted in separate incidents in the CHT. Another 25 people were
injured in clashes during the period.
Of those abducted, one bought his freedom by paying Tk. 50,000 and seven others
were freed on condition of ransom payment, sources said.
In the latest incident on Thursday at Kharikata village in Logadu upazila, unidentified
assailants gunned down former Union Parishad (UP) member Shucra Chakma, 42,
at his residence, allegedly in a sequel to rivalry between two indigenous factions.
On the same day, 10 people, reportedly supporters of United Peoples Democratic
Front (UPDF), were abducted by rivals on gunpoint from a market in Kawkhali
upazila for Tk 10 lakh ransom, sources there said.