The assailants, allegedly activists of pro-government Parbatya Samo Adhikar Andolan (Equal Rights Movement), attacked the vehicles with iron rods and stones near Godarpar Rubber Garden, damaging two microbuses including one in which Dr Kamal was travelling, police and witnesses said.

Dr Kamal, a prominent jurist and one of the key framers of Bangladesh's constitution, returned to Chittagong after the attack dropping the visit to Rangamati where he was supposed to address a rally of pro-peace Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).

Gano Forum Presidium Member Pankaj Bhattacharya, CPB central leader Khagesh Kiron Talukder, Adibasi Adhikar Andolan Convenor Professor Mesbah Kamal and Dhaka University teachers professor Gobinda Chakrabarty and Akhtar Sobhan Masrur also accompanied Dr Kamal in the journey.

The attack came on the second day of a three-day road blockade enforced by the Adhikar Andolan, an outfit of Bangalee settlers in the CHT agitating for the realisation of its nine-point demand including scrap of the peace pact and removal of PCJSS chief Jotirindra Bodhipriya Larma from the chairmanship of CHT regional council.

'PREMEDITATED ATTACK'

Talking to journalists at Chittagong Press Club, Dr Kamal pegged the attack as a 'premeditated attempt' on his life and asked Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to quit.

"She failed to perform her responsibility, she should tell the people and could quit," he said, adding, "There is no administration in the country."

"The goons came close to our microbuses, peered inside and attacked us after being confirmed about our identities," he said.

"The attack was launched neither to vandalise our vehicles nor to resist us from going to Rangamati, but to kill us."

Dr Kamal said the incident occurred at around 10:00am when the motorcade reached the Rubber Garden area, about 3 kilometres off Raozan upazila headquarters.

"The miscreants blocked our way with logs, searched our vehicles and then carried out the attack with sticks and bricks amid shouts and use of filthy words."

"They tried to block our return to Chittagong in the same way. But because of our driver's presence of mind we could escape the terrorists and save our lives," he said.

At a press conference on February 15, the Adhikar Andolan declared Dr Kamal, Larma, Deputy Minister for CHT Affairs Moni Swapan Dewan and Manik Lal Dewan 'unwarranted' in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and accused Dr Kamal of fueling incitements against Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty.

WAVE OF PROTESTS

The attack on the motorcade of Dr Kamal sparked a wave of protests across the country, especially in Chittagong and Rangamati districts.

The PCJSS called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Rangamati district for today and Chittagong Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government demanding immediate arrest and trial of the guilty.

"If the demands are not met within the deadline, we'll call a hartal," the mayor announced at a hurriedly called rally at the Shaheed Minar in the port city.

The Gano Forum and a range of other political organisations brought out protest processions or condemned the attack.

POLICE INACTION

Talking to journalists in Chittagong, Dr Kamal criticised the local administration for failing to ensure their security.

"I had talked to the deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) of Chittagong yesterday (Sunday). They assured us of giving police protection after 10:00am, but we did not find any policeman around when we came under the attack," he alleged.

Dr Kamal said he was planning to file a complaint about the attack after discussion with other leaders who were with him.

"The case will be lodged accusing Khagrachhari MP Wadud Bhuiyan," Dr Kamal said, accusing him of masterminding the attack, a charge dismissed by Bhuiyan.

In an interview with the BBC Radio, Bhuiyan said: "No, there was no attack at all. They presented the incident to journalists in a different way. Their objective was unacceptable as they were going to join a rally called by Shantu Larma amid the road blockade."

Ruling BNP lawmaker Bhuiyan, locally known as the key backer of the Odhikar Andolan, distanced himself from the group, but added that he supported some demands of the organisation including cancellation of the CHT peace pact.

The PCJSS, a political outfit of the indigenous people of the CHT, signed the landmark peace pact with the government in 1997 that ended two decades of bloody bush war in the highlands.

TENSION IN RANGAMATI

The attack on Dr Kamal's motorcade amid the blockade that disrupted life in Rangamati cutting off the district's road links with other areas stoked tension in Rangamati.

Law-enforcers guarded the hot spots amid stepped up security.

On Sunday, activists enforcing a road blockade obstructed a convoy of Moni Swapan at Mahalchhari of Khagrachhari district.

The deputy minister was forced to drop his three-day visit to Khagrachhari because of the blockade by the Adhikar Andolan.