NEW DELHI: Leaders of Chakma community on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to hold any dialogue or meeting with Mohammed Yunus , the chief caretaker of Bangladesh interim government , and also sought downgrading of diplomatic relations with the neighbouring country till Dhaka takes steps to protect lives and properties of the hill tribes and religious minorities.
The leaders, who submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, said organised attacks were being carried out on indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) by the Bangladesh Army and the illegal plain settlers. "At least nine innocent tribals have been shot dead and dozens injured at Khagarachari while over 100 houses and shops have been burnt at Dighinala Sadar," the Chakma leaders said in the memorandum.
The memorandum stated that on September 12 the Prothom Alo had reported attacks and damages to at least 1,090 houses, business establishments and places of worship belonging to the minority communities between August 5 and 20 after the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The leaders said that the attacks were being carried out in order to counter the growing use of the democratic space by the hill people and drive out the hill tribes out of the CHTs.
On Thursday, the indigenous hill tribe students had organised “March For Identity” at Khagrachari under the banner of “Sanghat O Boishamyo Birodhi Pahari Chhatra Andolan” (Anti Conflict & Discrimination Tribal Students Movement) demanding recognition of their rights and guarantee for distinct identities. About 40,000 tribals had participated in the march.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts was a tribal dominated area and despite having 98.5% non-Muslims, the Bengal Boundary Commission awarded the region to Pakistan during the partition of India in 1947. From 1979 to 1983, then Pakistan President General Ziaur Rahman implanted about 5,00,000 illegal plain settlers belonging to Muslim faith to reduce indigenous peoples of the CHTs into a minority on their own land. The illegal plain settlers presently constitute more than 50% of the total populations in the CHTs.
The leaders, who submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, said organised attacks were being carried out on indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) by the Bangladesh Army and the illegal plain settlers. "At least nine innocent tribals have been shot dead and dozens injured at Khagarachari while over 100 houses and shops have been burnt at Dighinala Sadar," the Chakma leaders said in the memorandum.
The memorandum stated that on September 12 the Prothom Alo had reported attacks and damages to at least 1,090 houses, business establishments and places of worship belonging to the minority communities between August 5 and 20 after the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The leaders said that the attacks were being carried out in order to counter the growing use of the democratic space by the hill people and drive out the hill tribes out of the CHTs.
On Thursday, the indigenous hill tribe students had organised “March For Identity” at Khagrachari under the banner of “Sanghat O Boishamyo Birodhi Pahari Chhatra Andolan” (Anti Conflict & Discrimination Tribal Students Movement) demanding recognition of their rights and guarantee for distinct identities. About 40,000 tribals had participated in the march.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts was a tribal dominated area and despite having 98.5% non-Muslims, the Bengal Boundary Commission awarded the region to Pakistan during the partition of India in 1947. From 1979 to 1983, then Pakistan President General Ziaur Rahman implanted about 5,00,000 illegal plain settlers belonging to Muslim faith to reduce indigenous peoples of the CHTs into a minority on their own land. The illegal plain settlers presently constitute more than 50% of the total populations in the CHTs.
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