On 2 February 1992 Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers killed at least 30 indigenous Chakma Buddhists at Mallya. One of them was Mrs. Suradini Chakma the wife of Manek Kumar Chakma. Two bombs exploded on a river ferry at Mallya. The explosion killed a passenger and seriously injured the skipper of the ferry. The survivors swam ashore but the armed Muslim settlers were waiting for them and attacked the indigenous Chakma Buddhists - men women and children.

Bengali settlers massacre 50 indigenous people in Longadu

Bangladesh government had settled over half a million Muslim settlers in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) by violating the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation of 1900. It had committed all forms of genocidal crimes to depopulate indigenous villages for settlement of Muslim settlers. Then the government had imposed so called District Council Election to legitimatize Muslim settlements in CHT. Indigenous people refused to participate in the District Council Election which would be held on 25 June, 1989.

1. Prelude to Massacre

   On 4 May, 1989, one Abdur Rashid Sarkar, a Muslim settler and the Chairman of Longadu Upazilla was killed by an unknown assassin. It is believed that he was assassinated due to rivalry among the Muslim settlers over the Chairmanship of Longadu Upazilla in the next Upazilla election to be held on 25 June, 1989.

   Without making any inquiry into the said death, the government seized this occasion to carry out its sinister plan. It gave a communal colour to the incident and ordered Major Zakir Hossain of the 14 East Bengal Regiment of the Bangladesh army from the Mainee Mukh Zone Headquarters in Longadu Upazilla to carry out the Longadu Massacres. This army Major ordered the Village Defence Party (VDP = Muslim settlers trained in the use of fire arms) and Muslim settlers to organize attacks on the indigenous villages. Muslim settlers were led by-

   1. Yusuf Ali of Islamabad village in Sonai area within Langadu Upazilla,
   2. Ruhul Amin, a Member of the Mainee Mukh Union Parishad, of Sonai area in Langadu Upazilla
   3. Nurul Islam Talukdar of Sonai area in Langadu Upazilla
   4. Siraj, the Chairman of the Atarak Chara Union Parishad in Langadu Upazilla

2. Massacre

   In compliance with the instructions of Major Zakir Hossain, the local VDP personnel and Muslim settlers began to attack the indigenous villages at 6.15 pm on 4 May, 1989. The massacres continued till 6 May, 1989, in 9 villages namely-

   1. Tintilla
   2. Manikjor Chara
   3. Batya Para
   4. Longadu Boradam
   5. Mahajan Para
   6. Sonai
   7. Bame Atarak Chara
   8. Dane Atarak Chara
   9. Karalya Chari

   Muslim settlers robbed valuable things, burned houses, set the schools on fire, desecrated and destroyed Buddhist temples, raped women and girls, and murdered many people most of whom were old men, women and children.

   At least 50 indigenous people were brutally murdered. They include 21 men, 20 women and 9 children including 2 babies. The number of seriously injured people was not less than 18. Among them were 6 men, 6 women and 6 children including l baby. The actual number of victims should be much higher. The full information of the incident could not be gathered due to the restriction on the movement of the indigenous people in the area. Moreover, it is not possible to know how many dead bodies were secretly disposed of by the Bangladesh armed forces.

   Perhaps, the most despicable event of the Longadu Massacre was the murder in the house of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma of Tintilla village in Longadu. He was the former Chairman of Longadu Union Parishad and the former Vice-President of the government supported Tribal Convention and is also the current Headman of No. 5 Langadu Mouza. Mr. A.B. Chakma was a devout supporter of the government and he served the government blindly like a slave. Yet the Bangladesh authorities did not spare his family and virtually turned his residence into a slaughter house. He miraculously managed to flee from the house unhurt during the attack but his wife, Mrs. Amita Chakma (40 yrs old) could not escape. She was shot and seriously wounded. Then the Muslim settlers speared her to death. Like her, many of her neighbours, who took shelter in her house, were either killed or seriously wounded. For example Mr. Murati Mohan Chakma (38), a clerk at the Government Family Planning Office in Longadu, was shot dead and hacked to pieces. His son, Sajal Chakma (9), was killed with bayonets and then his body was thrown into the fire. Jagaran Chakma (11), son of Mr. Bijoy Sheel Chakma of Tintilla village was charged with bayonets in the throat. Then the invaders cut him into pieces, poured petrol on his cut-up body and set it on fire. Mr Kya Maung Marma (55), son of Mr. Hla Sathuai Marma of Harbang in Cox's Bazar area within Chittagong district, and Mr. Ranga Maung Marma (50), of the afore-said address were doing business in the Longadu area. Muslim settlers hacked them to death while they were returning from Karalya Chari Bazar in Longadu.

3. Houses, Schools and Temples Burnt Down

   1. Houses- 663
   2. Kitchen houses (separately built)- 246
   3. Houses for husking paddy- l02
   4. Government Primary School in Sonai area within Longadu.
   5. Longadu Government High School at Longadu Boradam village within Longadu.
   6. Bana Vihara at Tintilla village- Muslim settlers robbed the valuable things of the temples worth Taka 700,000.00 and desecrated the statue of Lord Buddha (which was presented by the Thai Government) by cutting off its ears.
   7. Manorama Buddha Vihara at Atarak Chara village- Muslim settlers set the temple ablaze damaging property worth Taka 80,000.00.
   8. Dashabal Dhamma Ratna Buddha Vihara at Sonai- Muslim settlers stole a brass statue and 2 ivory statues of Lord Buddha and then burned the temple causing a loss of Taka 60,000.00.
   9. Sonai Buddha Vihara at Sonai- Muslim settlers robbed l brass image of Lord Buddha and then set the temple alight damaging property worth Taka 50,000.00.
   10. Karalya Chari Buddha Vihara at Karalya Chari- Muslim settlers stole 3 brass statues of Lord Buddha and then destroyed the temple by setting it fire. The loss of property was valued at about Taka 50,000.00.
   11. Baradam Buddha Vihara at Longadu Baradam village- Muslim settlers robbers took away 5 brass statues of Lord Buddha and then gutted the temple with fire. The estimated value of the damaged property was around 90,000.00 Takas.

4. Protest Against Longadu Massacre

   Indigenous people lodged vehement protest with the Bangladesh government against the cold blooded massacres it had committed against the innocent people of Longadu. For instance-

   1. The Chakma Raja Devashish Roy and many prominent leaders of the CHT submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of the Rangamati District on 10 May 1989 to protest against the Longadu Massacres.
   2. On 7 May 1989, Indigenous people of Longadu sent a memorandum to the President of Bangladesh in protest against the Longadu Massacre.
   3. Indigenous students and the Buddhist monks staged a protest demonstration demonstration and submitted a protest memorandum to the Home Minister of Bangladesh on 21 May 1989.
   4. On 30 May 1989, Venerable Bimal Bangsha Mahathero and Venerable Dharmalankar Bhikkhu, the President and the Secretary of the Parbattya Bouddha Bhikkhu Sangha respectively submitted a memorandum to the Bangladesh Minister of Religious Affairs to protest the desecration and destruction of Buddhist temples in Longadu.

5. Bangladesh Government's Action

   Bangladesh government did not take any action against the Muslim settlers and Bangladesh army. On the other hand, it placed the Chakma Raja Devashis Roy under house arrest from 11 to 14 May 1989 for making protest against the Longadu Massacres and ordered the public media not to publish both the Longadu Massacres and the combined student and Buddhist monk demonstration.

   On 5 May 1989, Maj. Gen. Abdus Salam (GOC, Chittagong Division), Brigadier Safat (24 Infantry Division, Rangamati) and a few indigenous leaders including Mr. Goutam Dewan (Chairman of Rangamati Upazilla) visited Tintilla village and addressed a meeting.

   At the meeting, Mr. Dewan asked the Muslim settlers why they had massacred the indigenous people of Longadu area. In response, one Muslim settler leader frankly said that the Muslim settlers did not commit the massacre without the order and instruction of the government. At that point, Brigadier Safat snatched away the microphone from the hands of Mr. Dewan and thus stopped him from addressing the gathering.

   Perhaps it is important to point out that while Maj. Gen. Abdus Salam was visiting the Longadu area, the Muslim settlers were attacking the Suguripata Chara village on 6 May 1989. As a result of the Longadu Massacres, most of the indigenous villagers fled to the nearby forest and some of them entered Mizoram State of India.

   Meanwhile Bangladesh government is distributing the indigenous villages and farmlands to Muslim settlers.

6. Victims Killed at Longadu Massacre

   1. Mrs. Amita Chakma (40), wife of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma, former Chairman of Longadu Union Parishad, Senior Vice President of Hill Tracts Tribal Convention and currently the Headman of No. 3 Longadu Mouza. Mrs. Anita was shot by rifle. She was seriously injured. Later Muslim settlers killed Mrs. Chakma by the spear and harpoon.
   2. Mrs. Kengari Chakma (32), wife of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers set her house on fire and then hacked her to death by machete.
   3. Mr. Jagat Basu Chakma (32), son of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Tintila Para. Mr. Jagat Basu was seriously wounded by gunfire. Muslim settlers hacked him to death by sharp weapons.
   4. Mrs. Kalendi Chakma (28), wife of Mr. Jagat Basu Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers gang raped her at her house. Muslim settlers later stabbed her vagina. She died on the spot.
   5. Ms. Mongali Chakma (1 and 1/2 months), daughter of Mr. Jagat Basu Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers snatched her from her mother's breast and then killed her by violently flinging to the ground.
   6. Master Rubentu Bikash Chakma (11), son of Mr. Subbash Basu Chakma of Tintila Para. Rubentu was hurt by the rifle butt and bayonetted to death. Muslim settlers threw his body into the flame.
   7. Master Samarentu Bikash Chakma (7), son of Mr. Subbash Basu Chakma. Samarentu met the same fate as his elder brother Rubentu Bikash Chakma. But the most tragedy and dreadful condition for Samarentu Bikash Chakma was that the Muslim settlers bound his hands and legs and threw him into flame of the burning house.
   8. Ms. Jagat Devi Chakma (22), daughter of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers with the help of Bangladesh army forcibly brought her out of the house and barbarously raped her at the courtyard of their house. Muslim settlers later stabbed her abdomen by spears and hacked her dead body into pieces.
   9. Master Jangson Chakma (4 months), son of Mr. Mangal Chandra Chakma of Tintila Para. When Jangson's mother Mrs. Shobha Chakma was fleeing with her baby son, Muslim settlers jumped on her and snatched the baby from her bosom. Muslim settlers threw him on the ground. But Mrs. Shobha could manage to escape with a serious injury.
   10. Mrs. Charu Bala Chakma (55), wife of Mr. Dem Khula Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers shot a spear at her back while she was fleeing from her house. Later she died under a tree in a nearby jungle.
   11. Mr. Murati Mohan Chakma (38), son of Mr. Hema Chandra Chakma of Tintila Para. He took refuge at the house of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma, a prominent indigenous leader of Longadu area. When he saw barbaric atrocities committed by the Muslim settlers in the area, he went there with his family to take refuge. But Muslim settlers surounded Anil Bihari's house, broke all the windows and railings of the house. Muslim settlers then entered the house, shot fire from the rifles on the people who took refuge here. Most of the people at Anil Bihari's house were brutally shot to dead, hacked to pieces by sharp weapons. So Mr. Murati met his tragic death in this brutal genocide with his son.
   12. Master Sajal Chakma (9), son of Mr. Murati Mohan Chakma. Sajal met same tragic death as his father Murati Mohan Chakma did. Muslim settlers bayonetted him and then threw him into the fire.
   13. Mr. Sushuma Ranjan Chakma (60), son of Mr. Dhaneshwor Chakma of Tintila Para. Mr. Sushuma Ranjan Chakma was shot death when he was trying to flee from his house. Muslim settlers even charged him with rifle bayonet and hacked his body into pieces.
   14. Mr. Surjya Moni Chakma (38) of Tintila Para. He took refuge at the house of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma. But Muslim settlers entered the house and indiscriminately shot at indigenous people at the house. He died on the spot.
   15. Mr. Sundarjya Chakma (60), son of Mr. Palongya Chakma of Tintila Para. Sundarjya was shot dead by the V.D.P. personnel. His body was thrown into the flame of his burning house.
   16. Mr. Naba Kumar Chakma (49), son of Mr. Bhaganak Chakma of Tintila Para. Mr. Naba Kumar was hit by spears. Later Muslim settlers hacked his body to pieces.
   17. Mr. Kyomong Marma (50), son of Mr. Mrachathoai Marma of Maini Mukh Bazar, Longadu. Mr. Kyomong was a business man in Maini Mukh Bazar. He was coming from the Bazar. Muslim settlers forcibly took Mr. Marma to nearby jungle, tied his hands and legs. Then Muslim settlers shot him to dead and mutilated his body to pieces.
   18. Master Chimong Marma (5), son of Mr. Kyomong Marma. Muslim settlers hit Chimong by spears. Chimong later died in the bosom of his mother.
   19. Master Shanti Bikash Chakma (13), son of Mr. Lakhshan Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers surrounded the house of Mr. Lakhshan Chakma and set the house on fire, then indiscriminately opened fire on the members of his family. While they were trying to escape from the house, Shanti Bikash became the victim of the gunfire. He died on the spot. Later, Muslim settlers mutilated Shanti's body into pieces.
   20. Mr. Ishwar Chandra Chakma (43), son of Mr. Kalpa Chandra Chakma of Battya Para, Longadu. Muslim settlers surrounded their house and set their house on fire. Muslim settlers speared him. He died on the spot. Muslim settlers shot on his dead body and mutilated his body into pieces.
   21. Master Jagaran Chakma (ll), son of Late Bijoy Sheel Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers attacked the house where they took refuge. The victim actually took shelter at the house of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma when the settlers started brutal actions at the nearby house. The most tragic and gruesome happening for Jagaran was that Muslim settlers first charged him with rifle bayonet on his throat, mutilated his body and poured petrol on his body and set the body on fire.
   22. Mr. Joy Kumar Chakma (80), son of Mr. Indra Mani Chakma of Tintila Para. Muslim settlers attacked the victim with sharp weapon, charged him with bayone and later shot him. He died on the spot.
   23. Mrs. Monobee Chakma (52), wife of Mr. Juba Dhar Chakma. Monobee met same tragic death as the others at the house of Mr. Anil Bihari Chakma who took refuge there to escape brutal atrocities of the Muslim settlers.
   24. Mr. Midhahiya Chakma (70), son of Mr. Ulleyah Chakma of Karallya Chari, Longadu. Muslim settlers set his house on fire. Muslim settlers opened fire when he was trying to escape. Mr. Chakma was seriously injured by gunshot wound. Muslim settlers captured him and hacked him into pieces with sharp weapons.
   25. Mr. Eraiya Chakma (70), son of Mr. Chandra Mohan Chakma of Atarakchara, Longadu. VDP and Muslim settlers shot him dead when he was trying to escape. Later, Muslim settlers mutilated his body with sharp weapons.
   26. Mr Kamal Krishna Chakma (55) of Eyarengchari. Mr. Chakma was seriously beaten. Muslim settlers forced him to pay money and then set his house on fire. Muslim settlers speared him at his neck and mutilated his body into pieces with sharp weapons.
   27. Mrs. Joy Mukhima Chakma (70), wife of Mr. Dhola Chan Chakma of Mohajan Para, Longadu. Mrs. Chakma was shot dead when she was trying to escape from her house.
   28. Mrs. Burih Chakma (65), wife of Mr. Koilas Chandra Chakma of Sonai, Longadu. Muslim settlers speared her on the back and then opened fire when she was fleeing with serious injuries. She died under a tree in a nearby jungle.
   29. Mrs. Tongleema Chakma (70), wife of Mr. Golak Chan Chakma of Hriday Ranjan Karbari Para, Longadu. She was shot dead when she was trying to flee from the house.
   30. Mr. Bala Chakma (70) of Hriday Ranjan Karbari Para, Longadu. Muslim settlers attacked him with sharp weapons and he was beheaded in his house.
   31. Mrs. Sura Mukhi Chakma (60), wife of Mr. Nachya Ram Chakma of Hriday Ranjan Karbari Para, Longadu. Mrs. Chakma met the same fate when she was at the bed with a serious fever attack. All the members of the family fled, but she couldn't even woke from the bed to escape. Muslim settlers entered the house and tightly covered her with all the clothes of the house, then poured kerosene oil on the clothes and set her on the fire. She was burnt alive.
   32. Mrs. Hengadhi Chakma (70) of Boradam, Longadu. Muslim settlers first robbed all kinds of valuable things from her house, then set it on fire. Mrs. Chakma was too aged to flee from the house. Muslim settlers and VDP entered the house, indiscriminately opened fire at the occupants. She was seriously injured with gunshot wound. Later, Muslim settlers mutilated her into pieces.
   33. Mr. Jogendra Lal Chakma (50), son of Mr. Purna Mohan Chakma of Pengkajjya, Dighinala. Mr. Chakma met tragic death while he was trying to escape from the house. Muslim settlers and VDP opened fire and he died with gunshot at the head.
   34. Mrs. Santoshi Chakma (60) of Tintila Para, Longadu. Muslim settlers and VDP forcibly set her house on fire. Santoshi Chakma had been suffering from serious fever for a long time. She couldn't even walk. Muslim settlers and VDP bayonetted her on the neck and mutilated her into pieces.
   35. Miss Bhagyo Debi Chakma (20) of Tintila Para, Longadu. Muslim settlers, VDP and Bangladesn army gang raped her until she fell into coma. Later, Muslim settlers speared and killed her.
   36. Mr. Kalai Marma (45). Mr. Marma was a business man at Longadu Bazar. He used to live at Tintila Para. He was seriously beaten by the Muslim settlers when he was coming from the bazar. Muslim settlers tied his legs and hands and attacked him with sharp weapons. He was later shot dead.

7. Some of Seriously Injured Victims

   1. Mrs. Purna Shobha Chakma (28), wife of Mr. Bijoy Sheel Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.
   2. Miss Jharna Debi Chakma (20), daughter of Mr. Lokajit Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.
   3. Miss Nokhi Chakma (1), daughter of Mr. Subhash Basu Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.
   4. Miss Jolih Chakma (4), daughter of Mr. Jagat Basu Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.
   5. Miss Padma Lakhsmi Chakma (2), daughter of Mr. Gyana Prabhat Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.
   6. Mr. Sudhangshu Bimal Chakma (50), son of Mr. Chandra Nath Chakma of Boradam, Longadu.
   7. Mrs. Amiya Chakma (45), wife of Mr. Sudhangshu Bimal Chakma of Boradam, Longadu.
   8. Mr. Ananda Kumar Chakma (60), son of Mr. Bija Kala Chakma of Boradam, Longadu.
   9. Master Riken Chakma (8), son of Mr. Digbijoy Chakma of Atarak Chara, Longadu.
   10. Mr. Nabha Jyoti Chakma (24), son of Mr. Mohendra Chakma of Hridoy Ranjan Para, Longadu.
   11. Mrs. Rupali Chakma (25), wife of Mr. Sneha Ranjan Chakma of Tintila Para, Longadu.

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