Special Correspondent :
A tense situation has been prevailing in Langadu upazila of Rangamati district when the Bangalee settlers set on fire 200 houses and vandalized another one hundred business establishments of the indigenous people on Friday.
The Rangamati district administration imposed section-144 and deployed a huge contingent of Army, BGB, police and other law enforcement agencies to avert any further untoward situation.
“Section-144 will continue till the tensed situation comes cool,”
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Md Manzarul Mannan told The New Nation over phone last night.
He said the incident took place following the death of Organising Secretary of Awami Jubo League of Langadu unit, also a motor cycle rider that carries passengers in exchange of fare, whose body was found at Chaar mile area in Khagrachhari district on Thursday.
The victim, Nurul Islam Nayon, along with two passengers had started for Dighinala upazila in Khagrachhari on Thursday. But he was somehow killed there and police recovered his body from a Dighinala street.
Family members and friends identified the victim seeing his photograph on the facebook in the same evening. The body was brought to the victim’s home at Baittapara under Langadu upazial yesterday morning.
Detailing the incident, the DC said: “Several thousand people, mostly Bangalee settlers, gathered there when the news of Nayon’s death spread out in the area. They brought out processions under the banner of Jubo League and Parbattaya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad registering protest against the killing of Nurul Islam Nayon.”
“The mob suddenly became violent and set on fire the houses and vandalised several other business establishments. As per official estimate, 40 houses were burnt and some people received injuries in the flame,” he said.
Manzarul Mannan claimed that the situation was under control of the administration. But local sources said that over 200 houses were burnt and another 100 business establishments were vandalised.
Besides, news coming from Rangamati said that several hundred panic stricken indigenous people, mostly women and children, fled away from the houses fearing further possible attack. They have taken shelter in the remote hilly areas.
General Secretary of Janasanghati Samity Moni Shankar Chakma said: “Every single house of our locality Tintila area was burnt down. Over 200 houses were torched. We have no connection with the incident. We even do not know for what reason our houses were set on fire.”
When contacted, Superintendent of Police of Rangamati district Sayeed Tarikul Hassan told The New Nation over phone yesterday evening that police were conducting drive to nab the culprits who were behind the arson and vandalising.
“We’ve also started an investigation to unearth the reason behind the death of Jubo League man. The incident took place in Khagrachhari, but the unruly mob damaged properties in Rangamati. The situation is under our control. Police are taking preparation to file case in this connection,” the SP said.
Parbattya Chattagram Pahari Chhatra Parisahd organized rallies and demonstration in front of National Press Club and Shahbagh in the city on Friday protesting attack and arson on the hill people. They also demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
The Rangamati police, however, could not arrest anyone in connection with the murder or arson till the time of filing this report at 7:45pm yesterday.
A tense situation has been prevailing in Langadu upazila of Rangamati district when the Bangalee settlers set on fire 200 houses and vandalized another one hundred business establishments of the indigenous people on Friday.
The Rangamati district administration imposed section-144 and deployed a huge contingent of Army, BGB, police and other law enforcement agencies to avert any further untoward situation.
“Section-144 will continue till the tensed situation comes cool,”
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Md Manzarul Mannan told The New Nation over phone last night.
He said the incident took place following the death of Organising Secretary of Awami Jubo League of Langadu unit, also a motor cycle rider that carries passengers in exchange of fare, whose body was found at Chaar mile area in Khagrachhari district on Thursday.
The victim, Nurul Islam Nayon, along with two passengers had started for Dighinala upazila in Khagrachhari on Thursday. But he was somehow killed there and police recovered his body from a Dighinala street.
Family members and friends identified the victim seeing his photograph on the facebook in the same evening. The body was brought to the victim’s home at Baittapara under Langadu upazial yesterday morning.
Detailing the incident, the DC said: “Several thousand people, mostly Bangalee settlers, gathered there when the news of Nayon’s death spread out in the area. They brought out processions under the banner of Jubo League and Parbattaya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad registering protest against the killing of Nurul Islam Nayon.”
“The mob suddenly became violent and set on fire the houses and vandalised several other business establishments. As per official estimate, 40 houses were burnt and some people received injuries in the flame,” he said.
Manzarul Mannan claimed that the situation was under control of the administration. But local sources said that over 200 houses were burnt and another 100 business establishments were vandalised.
Besides, news coming from Rangamati said that several hundred panic stricken indigenous people, mostly women and children, fled away from the houses fearing further possible attack. They have taken shelter in the remote hilly areas.
General Secretary of Janasanghati Samity Moni Shankar Chakma said: “Every single house of our locality Tintila area was burnt down. Over 200 houses were torched. We have no connection with the incident. We even do not know for what reason our houses were set on fire.”
When contacted, Superintendent of Police of Rangamati district Sayeed Tarikul Hassan told The New Nation over phone yesterday evening that police were conducting drive to nab the culprits who were behind the arson and vandalising.
“We’ve also started an investigation to unearth the reason behind the death of Jubo League man. The incident took place in Khagrachhari, but the unruly mob damaged properties in Rangamati. The situation is under our control. Police are taking preparation to file case in this connection,” the SP said.
Parbattya Chattagram Pahari Chhatra Parisahd organized rallies and demonstration in front of National Press Club and Shahbagh in the city on Friday protesting attack and arson on the hill people. They also demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
The Rangamati police, however, could not arrest anyone in connection with the murder or arson till the time of filing this report at 7:45pm yesterday.
