Trial of attacks on Bangladesh’s Buddhist community begins

The trial for the mindless communal attack on the Buddhist community at Ramu three years ago has finally begun.

Eight witnesses recorded their statements at Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge's Court yesterday.

 Nineteen cases had been filed with different police stations in Cox's Bazar in connection with the attack accusing 15,182 people. The police had submitted charge sheets in 18 cases to different courts of the district as one case was withdrawn following settlement between the complainant and the defence.

Only some people and some leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP including Tofail Ahmed, upazila chairman of Naikhangchhari upazila of Bandarban, expelled upazila chairman of Ukhiya Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury, its then chairman Shahjalal Chowdhury, its expelled vice-chairman Sultan Mahmud Chowdhury, and the Union Parishad chairman of Hoyaikong have been named in the charge sheets.

Public Prosecutor Momtaz Ahmed yesterday told The Daily Star that 74 people were accused in the charge sheets.

Out of the total 34 witnesses, eight had their statements recorded before the judge yesterday, added the PP.

Fanatics attacked Buddhist homes and temples in Ramu, Ukhia, Teknaf and Sadar upazila of Cox's Bazar on September 29 and 30 in 2012, following a fake Facebook post demeaning the Quran.

An investigation by The Daily Star had exposed that a forged Facebook profile of a Buddhist youth was used to instigate the crimes. Besides, inaction of the local administration, intelligence and law enforcement agencies was blamed for the planned attack.

Law enforcers had arrested 483 people in connection with the cases, but almost all of them are now out on bail.