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. The settlers are attacking South Kalindipur area on 22nd September.

Bengali settlers attack indigenous people in Rangamati

On 16 April 1999, some Muslim settler activists of the ruling Awami League (AL) beat up a Muslim settler activist of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Rangamati town. Some indigenous people have joined the AL because the AL are secular. The indigenous people do not want to join the BNP as the BNP is pro-Islamist. Not surprisingly the BNP have a grudge against the indigenous people. At the same time it is not easy for the BNP activists to make reprisal against the Muslim activists of the AL particularly in the CHT where the Bangladesh army treat all the Muslim settlers equally. So the indigenous activists of the AL were the easy targets of the BNP attacks. The BNP activists planned to kill two birds with one stone by starting communal riots in the name of retaliating on the indigenous activists of the AL for the said attack on a Muslim activist of the BNP.

The BNP activists armed with pistols, knives, machetes, iron bars and sticks attacked several indigenous activists of the AL, mercilessly beat them up, and looted their homes and shops in the presence of the Police. Then, they attacked the innocent indigenous people in Rangamati town, severely beat them up, and ransacked their houses and shops. The tension of the communal riots continued for 8 days. Yet the Muslim Police did not intervene in the attacks. During the mayhem, many indigenous people were injured some of them seriously and they had to be treated at Rangamati Hospital.

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