Chittagong Hill Tracts group alleges atrocities by Bangladesh Army

The members said that the mere transfer of army officers Br Commander Gen MM Salehin of Khagarchari Brigade and Baghaihat army zone’s commanding officer Lt Col Wasimul Haque for the killings between February 19 and 24,2010,was not enough. The group claimed that apart from the killings,over 400 houses of the Jummas were burnt down,200 tribals were displaced and one Buddhist temple and a church were also gutted down.

Mrinal Kanti Chakma,a member of the group,said that they had already submitted a petition to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter.

“The CHT was certainly one of the side issues that were discussed when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India but no concrete stand was taken. Stability of the CHT region is not only important for Bangladesh but also for India,” he said.

He added that the group would be submitting a petition to Hasina tomorrow on the issue. Their demands include getting proper land rights,implementation of the peace accord and some kind of constitutional provision to safeguard the rights of the accord.

Also present at the meeting along with the members of the CHT were activists Tarun Sanyal,Debabrata Bandopadhy and Sujato Bhadro. “We are thinking of submitting a memorandum to the Bangladesh High Commission regarding the matter so that the provisions of the peace accord can be implemented,” said Bhadro.