Adolescent Jumma girl allegedly raped by a Sub-Inspector (SI) and hotel owner in Rangamati

Source: PCJSS

On 19 January 2010 an adolescent Jumma girl (13 years) was allegedly raped by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Abdur Rahim from Vedvedi Outpost under Rangamati police station and Manager of Hotel Palace Md. Masud.

It is learnt that the victim of adolescent girl is a student of grade IX of local high school. Couple days before ASI Abdur Rahim introduced himself with the victim. On 19 January ASI Abdur Rahim invited the victim over cell phone for having a cup of coffee at Hotel Palace situated at old bus station under Rangamati municipality. On good faith, she went to hotel at 4.00 pm on that day. However, relatives of the victim alleged that taking her at a room of hotel palace, she was first raped by ASI Abdur Rahman and then by hotel manager Md. Masud.

No sooner of receiving this report, a group of women rights activists led by Adv. Sushmita Chakma rushed there and found the victim at a hotel room logged from outside. Sensing it, ASI Abdur Rahman fled the hotel. Women rights activists went to the police station and put objection against the said ASI and hotel manager. However, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station Babul Uddin Sardar at first denied to accepting any case against said ASI in connection with this incident. Finally due to tremendous pressure from women rights and media activists, a case against three persons including ASI Abdur Rahman and hotel manager Md. Masud was registered with Kotwali police station by elder sister of victim.

It is also reported that ASI Abdur Rahman was closed from Vedvedi outpost. Medical test was also done at the evening on 20 January. But medical report is yet to be received.

Tanchangya villagers beat by BDR at Tamprue in Naikhyongchari upazila

Source: PCJSS

On 19 January 2010 Tanchangya villagers of Tamprue Upper Tanachangya Para under under Naikhyongchari upazila in Bandarban district including women were beaten by BDR personnel of Tamprue BDR outpost.

It is learnt that very recently Tanchangya villagers gathered forest products for their domestic uses basically for repairing and re-constructing their houses. However, the BDR personnel from Tamprue outpost conducted operation at Tamprue village. Seeing the trees gathered at their houses, BDR personnel charged villagers with smuggling of forest products. At first they beat male villagers of the Tanchangya community while they were trying to protest. BDR personnel also tortured women while they protested against the false charge and beating of male villagers. The name of victims of Tanchangya villagers are yet to be received.

Bengali settlers resume expansion of settlement in Sajek

Source: PCJSS

Since 17 January 2010 Bengali settlers with the support of Baghaihat army zone resumed expansion of their settlement in Sajek area under Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati district.

It is learnt that Bengali settlers started to construct the house at Gangaram Duar area under Sajek union since 17 January 2010. A number of houses have already been erected by the Bengali settlers occupying Jumma villagers’ land.

Protesting against the expansion of Bengali settlement, local Jumma villagers are boycotting the Baghaihat bazaar since the start of expansion of Bengali settlement. On the contrary, military forces of Baghaihat zone and Bengali settlers are also preventing Jumma villagers who are trying to take their agricultural products to Baghaichari bazaar or Dighinala bazaar for selling. Hence, Jumma villagers are suffering from marketing of their products.

It is mentionable that on 20 April 2008 Bengali settlers with the help of army from Baghaihat zone set fire on 7 Jumma villages where 78 Jumma houses were completely burnt to ashes in order to occupy Jumma villagers’ land. After the incident, in some cases the Jumma villagers were prevented by the military forces to re-construct their houses on their land. Even one Jumma villager named Ladu Moni Chakma was brutally killed by Bengali settlers on 19 August 2008 as he did not agree to leave his land as per order of Bengali settlers and gave interview to the CHT Commission.

Temple land grabbed

Source: The Daily Star News

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=119974

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.”

11 indigenous children rescued in Bandarban

3 'traffickers' held

Source: The Daily star News

Police arrested three persons on charges of trafficking children and rescued 11 indigenous children in raids from residential hotels in Bandarban town yesterday.

Acting on a tip off, Bandarban Sadar thana police raided four residential hotels at around 12.30pm and rescued the children. Police arrested the traffickers when they tried to flee.

Bandarban Sadar thana duty officer Saiful Islam said one of the suspected traffickers Gorden Tripura, 33, hails from Thanchi upazila.

He said Abdul Karim, 23, and Shams, in primary interrogation, admitted to police that they are active members of the gang and trafficked children in the name of getting them admitted into different educational institutions.

Police said though the traffickers brought 33 children from Thanchi area, it could not be known where the other children were kept.

A child named Nuni Tripura, 8, said they were taken away from different villages in Thanchi upazila in the name of admitting them in Adarsha Madina School in Dhaka.

Police rescued 17 children in similar raids last year.

CHT land disputes to be solved thru' discussion

Source: The Daily Star News

Sajeda tells view exchange meeting

Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury yesterday said land disputes are the main problem in Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) area and the problem will be solved through discussions with the indigenous people.

The CHT Land Commission is working to solve the problem. A land survey is needed and it is the important thing for the area, she added.

Sajeda, who is also convener of CHT Peace Accord Implementation Committee, speaking as the chief guest at a view exchange meeting on 'A Decade of CHT Peace Accord: Expectations and Achievements' at the National Press Club in the city.

Shamprity Manchya, a voluntary organisation, organised the meeting.

The CHT peace accord brought an end to a two-decade-long insurgency in the area. After signing the accord in 1997 on December 2, members of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), who had been in an armed struggle for autonomy of CHT, surrendered their arms to the then Awami League government.

The Awami League leader said if there is any contradiction in the peace accord, the government will sit with all the stakeholders and then would take a decision to solve the problem.

About constitutional recognition to the indigenous people, she said the constitution has ensured their rights.

Sajeda stressed the need for taking an initiative to protect their traditional culture, language and lifestyle.

Speaking as the special guest, State Minister for CHT Affairs Dipankar Talukdar said the government had made a progress regarding the implementation of the accord.

Chaired by Prof Ajoy Roy, the function was addressed by General Secretary of Indigenous Forum Sanjib Drong and PCJSS leader Shaktiphad Tripura.

Noted journalist Shahriar Kabir presented a keynote paper at the view exchange meeting.

Appeal for help

Source: The Daily star News

Kakoli Rani Bhadra, a staff nurse of ZH Sikder Medical College Hospital in the city, has been suffering from breast cancer.

Despite taking Bilateral Mastectomy, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy, Kakoli, 24, is yet to recover from the prolonged illness that has also put her job at stake, says a press release.

Doctors have said Kakoli, who returned from an Indian hospital, must undergo advanced treatment immediately, which will cost Tk 10 lakh.

It is not possible for her father, who is a peasant from Jessore, to afford such an expensive treatment.

Other than the house they're living in, the poor family has lost everything for her treatment.

Hence, Purnima Rani Bhadra, mother of Kakoli, has urged the affluent people to extend financial support to help save the life of her daughter.

Contributions can be sent to Kakoli Rani Bhadra, Savings Account No 0007334066827, National Bank Ltd, ZH Sikder Medical College Branch, Rayer Bazar, Dhaka.

Interested persons can also call her or her family members at 01915-049662, 01913-285643 or 01722-509206.