Temple land grabbed

Source: The Daily Star

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi

A ruling party lawmaker's men have allegedly occupied 25 bighas of debottor (endowed) land of Radha Govinda and Durga Temple at Sohorapara in Godagari upazila of Rajshahi district.
Locals said the loyalists of lawmaker Omar Faruk Chowdhury, also general secretary of Rajshahi district Awami League, arbitrarily formed a committee in November making Omar Faruk's follower Sanjit Kumar Ghosh as its president to look after the temple and its properties.
On December 1, the self-styled temple-governing committee forced Anil Kumar Ghosh, the sebayet (custodian) of the temple, to leave the village and employed some 50 people to reap paddy from the land.
On completion of paddy harvest on December 5, the committee men announced their control over the land and the temple, witnesses and villagers said.
Temple committee president Sanjit acknowledged that they took control over the land at the lawmaker's directive that came after locals raised allegations of corruption against Anil.
“As Anil and his family did not take care of the temple, it turned almost into a cowshed. We, the villagers, were demanding recovery of the temple's properties from Anil's clutches over a long time and we did it when the MP gave consent,” said Sanjit.
Anil, a retired high school headmaster, has been enjoying the endowed properties for last 54 years since the government employed him as custodian of the temple in 1955.
Anil and his son Debashish Kumar Ghosh alleged that local police refused to record any case in this regard.
Md Zakirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Godagari Police Station, denied the allegation of refusal to record the case.
Debashish alleged that they rushed to the lawmaker when his men started reaping paddy from the field but the public representative seemed reluctant to listen.
When contacted, lawmaker Omar Faruk Chowdhury denied the allegation of his backing in taking control of the temple land.
“I don't know about taking control of the temple land and police's refusal to record case. But I am aware that locals have become angry at Anil as he is enjoying the temple land without running the place of worship satisfactorily. No villager supports him due to his corruption,” he said.
Asked if he thinks that the capture of the temple's properties was justified due to alleged corruption of Anil, the MP said, “There should be legal action against the acts of cutting away paddy and capturing the land as well as Anil's corruption.”

PCJSS leader shot by UPDF armed cadres in Rangamati

Source: PCJSS
(Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti)

On 2 December 2010 a PCJSS leader named Mr. Shanti Mukul Chakma was shot by UPDF armed miscreants at Rajdwip area under Rangamati municipality in Rangamati district. He sustained bullet injury on left hand.

It is learnt that at around 7.00 pm on that day an armed group of UPDF led by Prajnankur Chakma, Sunendu Chakma and Ritan Chakma halted Mr. Shanti Mukul Chakma, Student and Youth Affairs Secretary of Rangamati town committee of PCJSS while he was going out home. However, Shanti Mukul Chakma challenged the miscreants and scuffle was occurred between two sides. At a stage, the miscreants opened fire on Shanti Mukul Chakma and he got bullet injury on his left hand. The miscreants hurriedly fled area after firing on the victim.

Protesting against this incident, PCJSS of municipal branch brought out procession in Rangamati town on 3 December 2010 at 4.00 pm. Presided by Mr. Nilotpal Khisa, president of PCJSS municipal branch, the protest meeting was addressed by general secretary of Rangamati district branch of PCJSS Mr. Bodhi Satta Chakma, general secretary of PCP central committee Mr. Sharat Jyoti Chakma and general secretary of PCP district committee Mr. Shuva Jyoti Chakma. Speakers protested the incident and urged local administration as well as government to arrest UPDF armed miscreants otherwise hard programme will be declared. They accused against the local administration to play passive role in taking stern actions against the UPDF culprits though UPDF miscreants have been continuing terrorist activities at that area for long time. The speakers also demanded to implement the CHT Accord soon.

It is mentionable that on 8 December 2009 a group of UPDF miscreants attempted to shoot Mr. Arabinda Chakma (47) of Rajdwip area under Rangamati municipality.

A Jumma adolescent chopped by Bengali Muslim settlers in Naniarchar

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

On 2 January 2009 a Jumma kid named Rikel Chakma (12 years) s/o Sadhan Moni Chakma of Kukurmapa village under Naniarchar upazila in Rangamati district was chopped by Bengali settlers of Islampur of Naniarchar upazila. Ligament of a left leg of Rikel Chakma was cut.

It is learnt that Sadhan Moni Chakma along with his son Rikel Chakma went to nearby jungle to collect bamboos for household use. At that time, a group Bengali settlers numbering 5/6 persons from Islampur settler village led Md. Rubel attacked them at around 1.00 pm on that day. Bengali settlers threw sharp lethal weapon targeting Rikel Chakma while he along with his father was escaping from the attack of Bengali settlers. The sharp lethal weapon directly hit the left leg of the victim and ligament was fully hacked.

He was admitted at Rangamati general hospital on 3 December 2010. Dr. Jitendrijo Tanchangya of Rangamti general hospital advised the father of victim to transfer the patient to Chittagong Medical College hospital for higher treatment. But the father of victim failed to transfer his son to Chittagong due to financial constraint so far. A police case was filed with Naniarchar police station. But nobody was arrested so far.