Victims demand rehabilitation

Indigenous people of Bagapara in Matiranga of Khagrachhari wait for relief yesterday. Their homes were burnt to the ground when Bangalee settlers attacked them earlier this week. Photo: Star

The ethnic people, who lost everything in arson attacks at Taindong under Matiranga upazila in Khagrachhari on Saturday, demanded rehabilitation to get back to normal life.
“After returning to the site of my home, I have found nothing but ashes as everything is burnt down. We need rehabilitation to start our life again,” said Kripa Mohon Chakma, an arson victim from Sarbeswar village.
Hemantabala Chakma, another arson victim from Bagapara village, said they had been passing their days like nomads, urging the authorities concerned to come up with immediate measures to rehabilitate them.
District administration in coordination with the members of the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Army completed setting up around 30 tents at the arson-affected Bagapara and Sarbeswar Para in the area yesterday, four days after the attacks.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Masud Karim of Khagrachhari said, “The rehabilitation process is underway. At the initial stage, each arson-affected family will get Tk 7,500, and the families that escaped to the neighbouring Indian border out of fear will get Tk 1,000 each.”
The remoteness of the areas affected had contributed to the delay in giving compensation, he said.
On Saturday, triggered by the rumour of abduction, Bengali settlers set fire to Bagapara, Sarbeswar Para, Monudas Para, Bandarshing Para, and Talukdar Para in the upazila.
At least 33 houses were burnt, 20 more looted.
Two Buddhist monasteries were also vandalised in the attacks.
Around 450 families of those villages fled to the neighbouring Indian border.
About 160 families from Purabari, Headman Para, Laifu Kumar Karbari Para and Marma Para also fled to the neighbouring villages under Panchhari upazila in the district.
They, however, returned to their ancestral home after assurances from the CHT affairs minister and the local administration.