On 23 February 2007 Bangladesh Army arrested Mr. Railai Mro from Bandarban district. Mr. Mro is an indigenous activist who protested the illegal grabbing of indigenous land by the Bangladesh army. His relative confirmed that the army arrested him after planting arms in his house so that the arrest could be justified to the media and an arm case could be filed against him. Mr. Railai Mro was brutally tortured by the army.

Bangladesh joint forces arrest and torture indigenous activist in Bandarban

On 23 February 2007 the joint forces consisting of Bangladesh Army and Police arrested an indigenous activist named Mr. Railai Mro from Bandarban district. The joint forces surrounded his house at Ujanai Para of Bandarban municipality at around 3.30 am and kept the cordon until 7.00 am. After that the joint forces entered the house breaking the door and arrested Mr. Railai Mro. His family member told that no allegation was filed against him with police station or elsewhere. His relative also confirmed that the army arrested him after planting arms in his house so that the arrest could be justified to the media and an arm case could be filed against him.

Mr. Railai Mro who brutally tortured by the army. Due to his serious condition, the police of Bandarban police station did not agree to receive him when the army tried to hand over to them. He was admitted to Bandarban district hospital by the joint forces and later transferred to Chittagong Medical College hospital. He is being provided treatment under police and army custody till to date. He was yet not produced before court due to physical unfitness.

Mr. Railai Mro is the chairman and headman of Sualok union in Bandarban district. He was never involved with corruption or terrorist activities, and even with any political party. However he had been protesting against the eviction of indigenous people from their villages of Sualok and Tankaboti areas in Bandarban district in the name establishment of army artillery training centre. Some 750 indigenous families including Mros (small ethnic group in CHT) have been evicted from their dwellings. The military forces acquired 11,445 acres of land in 1991-92 at Renikkhong, Sualok and Tonkaboti in Bandarban district for artillery training centre. The arrest of indigenous activists including Mr. Railai Mro are nothing but suppressing the indigenous people so that they can not protest against massive land grabbing and military atrocity, and they could not raise voice for their just rights.

Sources: