CHT violence: Two cases filed in Khagrachhari and Rangamati

Two separate cases have been lodged in Khagrachhari and Rangamati in connection with the killing of two people in the districts on September 18 and 19.

A case was filed against three Bangali people in connection with the murder of 35-year-old trader Mamun, who was allegedly beaten to death in the Shalban area of Khagrachhari's Dighinala upazila on Wednesday, September 18.

Following his death, Khagrachhari witnessed fierce violence and unrest on Thursday afternoon. Over a hundred shops and businesses in the local Larma Square market were set on fire, leading to a stark deterioration of the law and order situation.

Three indigenous people were killed in the violence in Khagrachhari, and Section 144 was imposed to curb violence within the town by local administration.

The individuals named as accused in the case of Mamun's murder are Md Shakil, 27, Rafiqul Alam, 55, and Didarul Alam, 50. Additionally, 10-12 unidentified indigenous and Bangali individuals were accused in the case.

The case was filed on the night of September 19, but the information came out last night after three advisers of the interim government went to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station's Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Baten Mridha confirmed to The Daily Star that Mamun's wife, Mukta Akter, had filed the case at the station on September 19.

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"We took the case, but before we could start the investigation, the situation became volatile and went out of control," he said.

In the case statement, Mamun's wife said her husband was a furniture businessman and the owner of a local shop named "Maa Furniture." On the evening of September 17, around 6:00pm, Mamun left home for his shop. As there were guests at their home and there were some problems with accommodation, Mamun informed her that he would stay at the shop overnight.

His wife did not look for him that night. The next day, on September 18, she learned that someone had abducted Mamun's employee Shahin. She also found out that Shakil and the other accused, Rafiqul and Didarul, had forced Mamun to go with them that night. When he refused, they abducted him. Mamun had previous enmity with Rafiqul and Didarul.

She was eventually told about a video on Facebook showing an attempt to kill her husband. She later went to Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital and found her husband dead. Shahin, the witness to the incident, was beaten as well and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

OC Abdul Baten Mridha said, "We are investigating the case. It is too early to comment until the investigation is complete. No one was detained or arrested in this case so far."

Chattogram Range DIG Ahsan Habib Palash told The Daily Star, "The police didn't even get a chance to start investigating the Khagrachhari case. We will bring the accused under the law. No one involved in the murder will be spared."

Rangamati

Last Friday, the violence from Khagrachhari spread to Rangamati, and during clashes between groups of indigenous and Bangali people, 19-year-old Anik Chakma was beaten to death. He was severely injured and taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Yesterday, Anik's father, Adar Sen Chakma, filed a case against unidentified individuals at Kotwali Police Station.

Confirming the matter, Rangamati District Police's Additional Superintendent of Police, Shah Md Imran, told The Daily Star, "Anik's father filed a case. We are trying to identify the suspects and arrest them."

Following Friday's violence, a 72-hour road and waterway blockade was enforced by indigenous protesters under the banner of Jummo Chhatra-Janata Parishad. The blockade began on Friday evening.

This morning, vehicles were moving inside Khagrachhari town, but inter district bus services between Chattogram-Khagrachhari and Khagrachhari-Rangamati remain suspended.