On 22 September 2012 Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers attacked indigenous Buddhist people in Rangamati. When the indigenous people counter attacked in self defence Bangladesh army took side with the Muslim settlers. 76 indigenous people were injured and numerous indigenous properties were destroyed.

Bangladesh army and settlers attack indigenous Hindu festival in Bhaibonchara

On 18 February 1999, a Hindu festival Shiva Mela was taking place at Jurmarang of Bhaibonchara in Khagrachari district. As usual, hundreds of indigenous people went there to observe the festival. But the notorious Bangladesh Army conspired with the Muslim settlers to ruin the kafir's (infidel's) festival by starting communal riots. Accordingly they sent many Muslim settlers armed with knives, iron bars and sticks to the festival and instructed a Muslim taxi driver how to pick up a quarrel with the indigenous people.

According to the instructions of the Bangladesh army, the taxi driver demanded excessive amount of fare of some unwary indigenous passengers who naturally refused to pay more than the normal fare. Then the taxi driver angrily abused the indigenous passengers with very foul and offensive language and thus precipitated the quarrel as planned. As soon as the quarrel began, the armed Muslim settlers attacked not only the indigenous passengers but also other innocent indigenous people throughout the festival and even the Hindu Temple under the very nose of the Bangladesh Army. They robbed the indigenous people of their money and valuable goods, savagely beat up and knifed them, and ransacked and desecrated the Hindu Temple.

Since the Bangladesh army watched the attack as silent spectators, the indigenous people had no other option but to resist the attack in self defence with brick bats, bamboo and wooden poles, wooden planks and whatever they could find at hand. Very soon they outnumbered and overwhelmed the Muslim settlers. No sooner the Muslim settlers began to retreat than the Bangladesh army took the side of their coreligionists, fired on the indigenous people,and dispersed them. Then, they arrested 15 indigenous people who were too seriously injured to flee. Scores of indigenous people were also wounded but they managed anyhow to escape from being arrested. All the 15 arrested indigenous people underwent treatment in Khagrachari Hospital and they were-

1. Siprue Chai Marma (13)
2. Kyaw Jai Marma (15)
3. Chai Hla Prue Marma (15)
4. Pinku Moni Chakma (15)
5. Mr. Sahadev Chakma (20)
6. Mr. Shiva Ranjan Tripura (25)
7. Mr. Adjit Chakma (35)
8. Mr. Nihar Priya Chakma(20).

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