Fresh grenade attack on unarmed PCP students by the UPDF in Rangamati leaves at least 14 seriously injured

Source: PCJSS

On 20 May 2012 anti-accord terrorist group United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF) made a grenade attack on unarmed Jumma students at Kalyanpur area in Rangamati town. At least 14 activists of Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) (Hill Students’ Council) were injured in this attack. All of the injured were taken to Rangamati General Hospital. Six of them were later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and three who are seriously injured were referred to Dhaka Orthopedic Hospital by the CMCH.

It is learnt that PCP organised a public meeting at Gymnasium premises in Rangamati town on 20 May 2012 marking its 23th founding anniversary and 17th Council. Hundreds of Jumma students attended the meeting in which president of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma and convenor of Gono Oikya Committee Pankaj Bhattachariya from Dhaka were present as guest.

After attending the public meeting, like other students who came from different parts of the district, students of Swedish Polytechnic Institute of Kaptai started to return to their hostel in Kaptai by bus. On the way, they halted at patrol pump situated at Kalyanpur area to wait other some fellows. At that time around 3.30 pm, a grenade from a running auto-rickshaw bound to College Gate was thrown targeting the students of Swedish Polytechnic Institute and blasted leaving 14 students including one passerby seriously injured.

Of the injured, Jibon Chakma and Kamanashish Chakma (21) s/o Arabindu Chakma were admitted at Dhaka Orthopedic Hospital and Babudhan Chakma (20) s/o Punya Ranjan Chakma was at Dhaka Heart Institute. Other three injured namely Mongsa Ching Marma (20) s/o Kyaw Ching Marma, Nipun Chakma s/o Ushamoy Chakma and Joni Chakma (18) d/o Kulapradip Chakma were undergoing treatment at CMCH. Besides, Bhushan Chakma (20) s/o Chittamoy Chakma, Ronel Chakma (16) s/o Biplab Chakma, Kushal Chakma (20) s/o Tarun Bikash Chakma and Belal s/o Kalu were undergoing treatment at Rangamati General Hospital while Mongma Marma (20) s/o Chathui Prue Marma, Chainu Prue Marma s/o Suisathong Marma, Abuching Marma s/o Mongsuri Marma and Kamalesh Chakma were released after first aid.

It is learnt that the chest and legs of Jibon Chakma are almost smashed. Condition of Kamanashish Chakma and Babudhan Chakma are very serious.

It is worth mentioning that since its inception, anti-accord element UPDF have been conducting terrorist activities including kidnapping, killing, extortion etc. in order to hinder implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Accord signed in 1997 between the Government of Bangladesh and the PCJSS and to fulfill its vested interest by making CHT situation turmoil. After the signing of the Accord, UPDF killed more than 250 supporters of CHT Accord including 85 PCJSS members. UPDF also made several armed attacks on president of the PCJSS and chairman of the CHT Regional Council Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, though Mr. Larma could narrowly escape from killing.

As part of its killing activities, on 19 May 2012 early in the morning armed group of UPDF made an armed attack on the house of Anil Chakma at Jurgachari under Laxmichari in Khagrachari. In this attack, Anil Chakma who was chairman of Laxmichari union and president of Laxmichari branch of PCJSS was shot death and two other villagers namely Shanti Ranjan Chakma (25) s/o Samiran Chakma and Mohendra Chakma (42) s/o Jagat Chakma sustained bullet injuries. Anil Chakma was targeted as he joined to the PCJSS protesting terrorist and autocratic activities of UPDF and is organising general public in Laxmichari area to oppose terrorist activities of UPDF.