On 9 May 2012 Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers raped and killed an indigenous Buddhist girl Miss. Sujata Chakma (11) daughter of late Mr. Jyotish Chandra Chakma and Ms. Mongala Devi Chakma of Ultachari area of Atarakchara union under Longadu sub-district in Rangamati district. The victim was a student of year 4 of Ultachari Government Primary School. Muslim settlers killed the girl by mutilating on the neck with a sharp weapon.

Bengali settlers rape and murder an indigenous Buddhist woman in Khagrachari

On 15 February 2014, Muslim settlers gang raped and murdered an indigenous woman Sabita Chakma (30) at Chengi Chor area of Kamalchari union in Khgagrahari district.

In the morning Sabita Chakma went to the bank of Chengi river to collect fodder for their cattle. Her neighbours saw her in meadow while she was collecting grass before 12:00 noon. Sabita’s neighbours including her husband went back home for a lunch break. In the mean time, Sabita’s husband was worried when she was not coming back home even after lunch time. He along with the villagers started searching her and later at around 5.30 pm, the villagers spotted the naked, dead body of Sabita Chakma in a crop field near Chengi Chor.

Some Muslim settlers were loading a truck with sand near the crop field at the time when the victim was last seen alive. The Buddhist villagers alleged that these Muslim settlers killed Sabita Chakma after raping her one after another, because Sabita’s belongings were found near the truck. After killing her, Muslim settlers dragged her body roughly 10 or 12 yards away from the spot. The Muslim settlers snatched gold chain from Sabita’s neck.

Police took the dead body to Khagrachari General Hospital in the evening for autopsy. Sabita’s husband filed a case in this connection with Khagrachari police station against Muslim truck driver named Mohammad Nizam. Muslim settlers who were extracting sand from river bank and allegedly perpetrated the rape and murder were identified as-

1. Mohammad Razzak, resident of Bhuachari cluster village
2. Ziaul Haque, resident of Bhuachari cluster village
3. Mohammad Anowar, resident of Bhuachari cluster village
4. Lasu Marma, resident of Ganja Para.

Victim’s husband Deba Ratan Chakma filed a case at police station. However, Bangaladesh Police manipulated the case and made it deliberately weak to save the Muslim settlers. On 15 February in the evening, Deba Ratan Chakma, Bangamitra Chakma, Binoy Bahu Chakma and Barabahu Chakma went to the police station to file case. But they failed to file a case due to power cut. However, they handed over names of the suspected Muslim settlers to the police and then left police station for home. In the night, police composed statement excluding names of the suspected Muslim settlers and took signature of Deba Ratan Chakma when he reached police station on 16 February morning. As a result, the Muslim settlers were allowed to escape culpability.

Sources: