According to media reports, the clashes that began over a week ago between Muslim settlers and Buddhist tribals in the region has led to several deaths and many injuries. In addition, several hundred homes have been burned and thousands left homeless.
The UN “hopes that all will unite to help the recovery from this tragedy in a spirit of peace for the greater good of the nation,” spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters in New York.
Conspiracy for communal attack is still continuing in Baghaihat and Khagrachari. It is reported that today (on 4 March 2010) at 8.30 pm four houses of Jumma villagers at Daine Bhaibachari village under Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati district were set fire allegedly by military forces and Bengali settlers. The owners of the houses were identified as Dayal Kista Chakma, Kina Chan Chakma, Bidya Sadhan Chakma and Alo Rani Chakma. It is also reported that the Bengali settlers burned their two abandoned makeshifts first. Then they proceeded to Daine Bhaibachara along with army to set fire the Jumma houses.
Earlier, on 2 March 2010 at 4.00 pm Bengali settlers of Salbagan Adarshagram in Khagrachari municipality set fire their three houses. Witnesses said that Bengali settlers kept out the valuables of the houses and then set fire the houses. In connection with this conspiracy, police arrested one Abul Kalam who set fire his house and spread rumours.
Prem Krishno RoyA group of extortionists murdered a jewellery shop owner in front of police near Victoria Park in Dhaka's Sutrapur yesterday morning after he filed a general diary against them.
Prem Krishno Roy, 36, of Kailash Ghosh Lane in Kotwali, had received threats from the gang for the last three to four weeks.
Prem's wife, Swapna Rani, said the gang first demanded Tk 25 lakh but raised the amount to Tk 35 lakh when her husband refused to pay the sum.
Four days after receiving the first threat, Prem filed a general diary regarding the matter with Kotwali police station.
When the extortionists learnt that Prem had sought police help, they told him he would be killed in front of police at the earliest opportunity.
Prem was gunned down around 8:00am while returning home after dropping his two nieces at their school at Laxmibazar in Sutrapur.
A female witness who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "I heard several gunshots and looked backwards to see a young man fall down.
“Three youths fled the spot where a police team was standing."
Prem was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue sources said his body bore seven bullet wounds.
Prem and his elder brother Amal Roy owned the jewellery shop on the third floor of Mitra Vandar Market in Tantibazar.
Locals said a tense situation prevails among the traders in Tantibazar, who are regularly threatened by extortionists.
Officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Salah Uddin Khan of Kotwali Police Station said, "Tantibazar is a crime-prone area, which is why we deployed five police check posts to beef up the traders' security."
The deceased's wife, Swapna Rani Pal, of Kotwali, believes the extortionists are cadres of Dakait Shahid.
Prem returned from Dubai around three months ago and married Swapna a month later.
Swapna is expecting her first child.
In a separate incident yesterday, armed muggers shot and wounded three Tharmex Group employees and made off with Tk 69 lakh at Itakhula of Shibpur in Narsingdi.
The victims were carrying the money after drawing from a Sonali Bank branch.
Shibpur police said the armed muggers intercepted the victims' microbus in Itakhula, Narsingdi around 3:00pm and snatched Tk 69 lakh.
The bus was carrying Assistant General Manager (AGM) Zahidul Islam, Deputy General Manager Faruq Ahmed and Asad Mian, who was driving.
The muggers shot at AGM Zahidul and beat up the rest as they tried to resist the muggers.
OC Mujibur Rahman of Shibpur police station said they are trying to nab the muggers.
