The Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad (BHBCOP) has demanded that the government immediately stop the ongoing communal violence in Khagrachhari and take effective steps to implement the CHT peace treaty and protect the interests and existence of the hill communities.
The rights group that advocates for a discrimination-free society for all religious minorities expressed deep concern, saying that the government failed to arrest the miscreants responsible for the gang-rape of the indigenous girl and did not take any action against the Muslim settlers who attacked the Adivasi people, the BHBCOP said in a statement on Wednesday.
Instead, three hill people have been shot dead, at least 15 injured, six people are missing, and 15 houses, 60 shops and 13 motorcycles have been destroyed by fire under the patronage of the law enforcement. To prevent such sad and unfortunate events, the provocative statements of government officials, including the Home Affairs Adviser, have created an unstable situation throughout the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
The BHBCOP demanded a judicial inquiry commission, headed by a member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission or a serving or retired judge, to investigate the tragic killings and anarchy in Khagrachhari.
The rights body also demanded that the government pay at least Tk1 crore to each family of the deceased persons, at least Tk25 lakh to each affected family, and provide proper medical treatment for the injured at government expense.
Earlier, various human rights organisations and activists condemned the brutality by the Bangladesh Army, other law enforcement agencies and the Muslim settlers. They also criticised the government for not ensuring a medical examination of the girl within 72 hours.
They said that rape is not just a crime there; rather, it creates panic among the hill ethnic people, forcing them to leave their homes. They demanded the trial of attacks and rapes on all indigenous peoples in the CHT, the withdrawal of military rule, the release of detained Bom community members, and an end to ethnic oppression.
Seven Adivasi women have been raped in Khagrachhari in the last year. Every time they seek justice for these barbaric incidents, the victims and activists are being attacked, the case is lengthy, and the state is not cooperating.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has demanded that the culprits be punished through a judicial investigation into the incident.
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In a statement on Sunday, the TIB said that the peaceful movement that arose around the rape of a 12-year-old indigenous girl in Khagrachhari in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which is under the de facto authority of the Bangladesh Army, became violent due to the involvement of vested interests.
Meanwhile, the Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee has alleged that the army- and Jamaat-backed interim government is not acting in any sensitive and responsible manner to restore a democratic environment in the hills.
The meeting demanded justice for the attacks on the indigenous people in the hills in Khagrachhari. In addition, it demanded a speedy investigation and trial of the incidents of rape, vandalism and coercion in the hills and plains across the country. At the same time, concerns were expressed about human rights violations in different parts of the country.
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Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi said that the attack on the peaceful movement of indigenous people protesting rape, demanding justice, and human dignity is not only a denial of democratic rights but also creates racial discrimination. As a result, long-term insecurity is being created in the lives of indigenous people, which is also a threat to the democratic environment of the country.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad expressed deep concern and anger over the attack by law enforcement agencies on a rally protesting the gang rape of a Marma girl in Khagrachhari.
Terming such behaviour a violation of fundamental rights, the organisation said that the tactic of creating a conflict situation and avoiding justice for the girl is condemnable and unacceptable.
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