On 26 August 2003, Bengali settlers launched a horrendous communal attack on the indigenous Jumma people of Mohalchari Upazila under Khagrachari Hill District of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Region. As a result, more than 350 indigenous Jumma households of 14 villages under five Moujas have been looted and burnt to ashes. Moreover, more than 100 Jumma houses including four Buddhist temples, one UNICEF run primary school, a good number of shops and statues of Lord Buddha have been destroyed, ransacked and looted. Valuables worth over Taka 30 millions have been destroyed. Two Jummas including one eight-month-old child have been murdered. Ten Jumma women have been gang-raped by the Bengali settlers. Furthermore, in this incident more than fifty innocents Jummas have been injured, of them nine were serious. Six Bengali settlers also sustained injuries by themselves in the melee.

According to the report of victims and local Jummas- on 24 August 2003, the armed UPDF (United Peoples Democratic Front) terrorist kidnapped a Bengali businessman named Rupan Mohajan (30) s/o Bijoy Mohajan of Mohalchari Bazar area and demanded a ransom of Taka 500,000 (five hundred thousand). On 25 August a group of Bengali settlers led by Ratan member and Usuf member of Mohalchari Union Council, made a contact and held a negotiation meeting with the UPDF to release Rupan Mohajan. As the negotiation failed to release Rupan Mohajan, the Bengali settlers whipped up communal tension and in the afternoon the Bengali settlers barricaded the Mohalchari-Khagrachari road protesting the kidnapping. The Bengali settlers under the banner of Bangalee Samanway Parishad held a gathering at Mohalchari bazar where provocative, communal and incendiary speeches were delivered by the Bengali settlers to attack the Jumma villages. In that gathering, they also made a threatening declarion that the Bengali Muslim dominated administration, the military, the local police station and all are on their side, so they had nothing to be scared. They also declared that if Rupan Mohajan was not released the next day at 7:00 a.m. they should stage a programme of bonfire against the Jumma people.

Meanwhile, without knowing the gravity of the situation Mr. Sui Nue Prue Chowdhury (Marma), the Chairman of Sindukchari Union Council who came to Mohalchari Bazar on his motor bike to inquire about the kidnapping and road blockade, had been confined for the whole night within the shop of one Swapan Dokandar and severely tortured by a group of frenzied Bengali settlers. The Bengali settlers also smashed his motor bike. He was freed the next morning. On the contrary, these provocative, communal and incendiary speeches by the Bengali settlers at their gathering made the Indigenous Jumma people of Mohalchari proper areas including Babu Para very panicky. In the evening, a Bengali settler advised some Jumma acquaintances to be on their alert for possible attacks by the Bengali settlers. Around this time, a passing Army petrol party too gave out a threatening message to them. The villagers passed that night amid anxiety.

Since the morning of the next day, 26 August 2003, the Bengali settlers again began their same provocative, communal and incendiary speeches whipping up a communal frenzy against the Indigenous Jumma people. The clock struck 8:00 a.m. The Jumma people hardly anticipated that hell would break loose upon them in the form of such a violent communal riot. They had a misconception that after all the administration and law enforcing agencies were there to hold the wild and violent Bengali settlers in check in the long run.

It was a market day at Mohalchari bazar. The Indigenous Jummas from different villages came to the bazar were prevented by the Bengali settlers from entering the bazar. That was why they had to sit down on a nearby road of Babu Para for selling their vegetable and goods. They, again, were forbidden to sell their goods by the Bengali settlers and there was an exchange of hot words between them. Thereafter, the Bengali settlers chanted provocative slogans and brought out a violent and confrontational demonstration at around 9:00 a.m. Thereafter the Bengali settlers began to beat up the Jumma sellers severely and they went on a rampage through the shops of the Jummas indiscriminately. Then, again the Bengali settlers in a form of violent demonstrating mob launched an attack on Babu Para, a predominantly Indigenous Jumma locality. At this time, some UPDF gunmen holed up in front of Babu Para opened fire on the attackers.

Thereupon the demonstrators shouted for other Bengali settlers to join them in the brutal attack against the Indigenous Jumma people and with an ill motive further spread a rumour that the Indigenous Jummas were setting fire to Bengali settlers’ houses and killing the Bengali settlers. This rumour made the Bengali settlers more and more violent and they came running in droves along with Army personnel to join the brutal attack. At that time, Mr. Binode Bihari Khisha was sitting at his shop close to the sluice gate area of Mohalchari from where he was dragged out in the open. The Army personnel struck him with the butt of their gun and the Bengali settlers hit him with lethal stick. Practically he was beaten to death on the spot.

Simultaneously, hundreds of Bengali settler under the protection of Army personnel equipped with daos (billhook), swords, spears and sticks pounced upon the Jumma villages, took away valuables and finally set fire to Jumma houses. They also snatched away jewelleries from the persons of Jumma women. First the Bengali settlers attacked Babu Para and Sawmill Para. Then, one after another, the Bengali settlers with direct participation of military carried out their attack on at least 12 Jumma villages under five Mouzas. In this incident, more than 350 houses were burnt down and valuables belonging to more than 100 houses were looted and destroyed.

It is worth mentioning that the role of the Bengali Muslim dominated Army, Police and Civil Administration while this kind of atrocity such as arson, rape, killing and wanton destruction was going on was highly condemnable. They did nothing to stop these rather they facilitated the atrocities.  The Army personnel belonging to 21 EBR invariably threatened every Jumma to shoot whoever tried to resist the Bengali settlers’ attack. The Army personnel themselves supplied petrol and kerosene to the Bengali settlers to facilitate the arson. In certain cases, the Army personnel themselves firstly kicked, boxed and tortured the Indigenous Jummas then they handed over them to the Bengali settlers for their final physical abuse and humiliation. A group of Army personnel together with the Bengali settlers of Mohalchari bazar, Sylhet Para, T&T and Hospital area led by Lt. Colonel Abdul Awal and Major Nazmul of 21 EBR of Mohalchari Army zone attacked the villages namely Sawmill Para, Pahartali, Bhuatek, Durpajjyanal and Kerenganal. In all other villages the attack, arson, rape and looting took place under the very nose of the Army personnel. It was learnt that one Bengali named Tapas Chowdhury, owner of a Petrol Pump (Gas station) supplied petrol and kerosene in a lavish style to the Bengali settlers for setting fire to the Jumma houses.

In the afternoon of the day of occurrence, Mr. Abdul Wadood Bhuiyan, Member of Parliament and an avowed Bengali settlers’ leader, Mr. Humayan Kabir Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari district and Mr. Motiur Rahman Sheikh, Superintendent of Police of Khagrachari district went to the spot for inspection. It was very surprising that there was no attack by the Bengali settlers on the villages of Lemu Chari and Noa Para area till their arrival at Mohalchari Upazila Headquarter and moreover during their very presence at Mohalchari Upazila Headquarter hundreds of Bengali settlers of Chongrachari Mukh and Pakujyachari area were continuing their attack on several other villages, such as Lemuchari, Pahartali and nearby areas. They did nothing to stop the atrocities. A lot of victims confided that Mr. Abdul Wadood Bhuiyan, on his way to Mohalchari held a discussion with the Bengali settlers at Maischari bazar during which he secretly instructed them to launch the attack on the said villages. The victims also confided that the Bengali settlers with the participation of Army personnel attacked the villages namely Kerengyanal, Durpujyanal etc. On that day the Bengali settlers along with Army personnel went to the said villages by engine boats and carried out series of attacks. Right after the Army reached the village, they opened covering gunfire to scare the villagers away and thereby facilitating the Bengali settlers looting all the valuables and burning the houses.

“Firstly, the Army personnel opened covering gunfire and thereafter the Bengali settlers launched attack, this was the Modus Operandi”. Ms. Sonali Chakma one of the victims told. Dr. Pratul Chandra Khisha, a homeopath physician of the village Babu Para told that they had taken shelter at Kengelchari Buddhist temple where the military surrounded them as terrorists and at first the Army personnel tracked down the Jumma people and then the Bengali settlers attacked them with sharp daos, swords, spears and sticks. Minati Khisha w/o Nilachan Khisha of Kerengyanal village stated that the women of her village while fleeing by a boat were surrounded and beaten by the Army personnel. Moreover, Kabita Chakma, Sabita Chakma, Pintu Chakma Koel Chakma and some other village folks were forcibly thrown into the lake by them.

Ms. Jena Chakma, d/o Priyadarshi Chakma of village Sawmill Para, a student of Graduation course told that her old and infirm grand parent could not flee away. She feared them to have been killed and she had seen herself their home was on fire by the Bengali settlers. Ninety-three years old Jayanta Chakma of village Sawmill Para stated that this attack was nothing but the continuation of land grabbing spree of the Bengali settlers and the Government has always been assisting the Bengali settlers. “This incident was fully supported by the military”, his wife Kanakka Lata Chakma said. Nirupa Khisha w/o Pratul Chandra Khisha said, “While going to the temple I have seen the Bengali settlers burning houses after they had taken away all the valuables”. She also told that Polashi Khisha w/o Sajib Khisha had given birth to premature twin while fleeing away in panic.

Even after the CHT Accord the Jummas and the CHT peoples are stunned at the brutality and magnitude of the atrocity. Many organizations including Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti, Chittagong Hill Tracts Jumma Refugee Welfare Association, Parbatya Chattagram Mohila Samiti, Hill Women’s Federation (HWF), Hill Students’ Council (PCP) have immediately protested and condemned this heinous and barbaric attack. The PCJSS declared that this incident was perpetrated to keep the political instability going on, to grab the Jumma people’s land and to destroy communal harmony. The PCJSS also demanded of the Government to resist the terrorist activities of the UPDF, compensation to the victims and arrest and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators of the crime.

The PCP, the HWF and the PCJSS brought out a protest rally in Khagrachari, Rangamati, Bandarban and Chittagong against unprovoked and unilateral atrocity on the Indigenous Jumma people. The PCJSS, on behalf of the mass people of Khagrachari district submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 1 September 2003 with the following demands:

1.       To conduct judicial inquiry into the communal attack

2.       To take necessary, speedy and statutory action against the perpetrators of crime.

3.       To provide full security with a compensation of at least Taka 100,000 (One hundred thousand) to each of the affected family.

4.       To supply free ration for six months to each of the affected family and immediate supply of books to the affected students.

5.       To take necessary steps to stop repetition of this kind of incident in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

On that day, the Parbatya Bhikkhu Sangha (Hill Tracts Buddhist Monk Association) organized a silent procession at Khagrachari sadar protesting against the communal attack and sacrilege. They submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari district demanding judicial inquiry, re-construction of destroyed Buddhist temples, ensuring of security of life and property, exemplary punishment of culprits and compensation for affected villagers etc.

It is mentionable that the UPDF also in protest called a road blockade from 30 August to 1 September 2003 in Khagrachari district. But almost all the people in Khagrachari strongly condemned the childish activities of the UPDF. Particularly series of abduction and terrorist activities by the UPDF are providing a golden opportunity for the Bengali settlers as well as the Army personnel to swoop upon the innocent Indigenous Jumma people of the CHT. Moreover, the road blockade declared by the UPDF had created a problem in sending relief materials to the affected villagers in time and it had aggravated the situation further.

Soon after the atrocity on the Jumma people, putting all blames on the Indigenous Jummas the Army arrested seven Jumma youths including Ronald Chakma (17) and Suman Marma (22) who were seriously injured by the Bengali settlers. Recently under tremendous pressure from the public, the Army and the Police had to arrest a few Bengali settlers. But the victims dismissed it as an eye wash to assuage the wrath of the Indigenous Jumma people since the communal attack was made with the active participation of the Army and with the tacit support of the police the Bengali settlers committed the crime of arson and looting unchecked in one after another villages. Experienced hands on the subject believed that it was mainly a drama staged to divert the attention of the countrymen.

On the contrary, after having committed atrocities with daos, swords, spears and sticks on the Jumma people unilaterally the Bengali settlers lodged a criminal case with Mohalchari Police Station against the Indigenous Jumma people the next day on 27 August. One Md. Abul Kasem s/o Ashraf Mian against 17 innocent Jummas has filed this false case in connection with gun firing and concealing the dead body of Bengali settlers.

It is mentionable here that in connection with Babu Para incident, Mr. Hafizur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mohalchari Police station on 27 August 2003 filed a case against 4/5 thousand unnamed persons and in connection with Lemuchari incident he again on 28 August 2003 filed a criminal case against some two thousand unnamed persons. Since no name was mentioned clearly in the cases whether the accused persons were Bengali settlers or Jumma people, the affected Jumma villagers had every reason to fear that the police might harass them only at an opportune moment in connection with these cases instead of the Bengali settlers.

In addition to these cases, on the 1 September 2003 Kishalay Chakma s/o Kali Ratan Chakma of Lemuchari village filed a case against 44 Bengali settlers to the Khagrachari Cognisance Taking Magistrate Court in connection with the communal atrocities including arson, looting, sacrilege and destruction of property. But, none of the accused had been arrested so far.

On 1 September last a special law and order meeting was arranged by the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari Hill District. Surprisingly, a representative of the UPDF which was responsible for the abduction of the very Rupan Mohajan was invited to that meeting. There was a strong reaction to the invitation of the representative of the UPDF and as such the PCJSS and the CHTRC representative protested and boycotted that meeting. In that meting an attempt was also made to form a Peace Committee consisting of Indigenous Jumma and Bengalis. But it was a failure because of lack of decision. However, another Law and Order Monitoring Committee consisting of 21-member and headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) was formed. It is further surprising that Mr. Raktatpal Tripura, Councillor, CHT Regional Council, was made a member in that committee without his knowledge and consent. That committee was formed mainly to divert and cover up the communal atrocities by the Bengali settlers upon the Indigenous Jumma people and to exterminate the Jumma people from their ancestral hearth and home.

It is a fact that on 24 August 2003 an armed band of the UPDF abducted Rupan Mohajan, a Bengali trader of Mohalchari Bazar, from the Singinala Football field. Because of a long nexus  and good understanding between a quarter of the Army and the UPDF, the Army and the Civil Administration took no step either for the immediate release of Rupan Mohajan or for controlling the gradually worsening law and order situation- instead they instigated the Bengali settlers to launch a communal attack on the Indigenous Jumma people. So it is crystal clear that the known vested interest within the Government had allowed these communal atrocities against the Indigenous Jumma people to divert the attention so that the CHT Accord 1997 would not be implemented at all in future.

It is also mentionable that since the signing of the Accord in 1997 a vested interest within the government has been aiding and abetting the Bengali settlers for the communal attack upon the Indigenous Jumma people to serve their interest. Furthermore, a quarter of the military authority has been assisting, abetting and aiding the UPDF to carry out its terrorist activities such as extortion, kidnapping, killing etc. unchecked instead of taking necessary actions against them so as to make the CHT law and order situation always instable, to justify a military presence in the CHT and to fish in the troubled water. The core causes of this atrocity according to the observers and the experienced one are the following:

1. To make the Indigenous Jummas crippled economically, uproot them by means of continuous violence from their ancestral lands and finally grab the Indigenous Jummas’ land.
2. The long-standing grievance and dissatisfaction among the local businessmen with regard to the UPDF’s activities of extortion, kidnapping, killing etc at Mohalchari.
3. To take political advantage of this kidnapping of Rupan Mohajan (a Jubo League renegade and informer of the Army) by some vested interest within the government.
4. To bring instability to block the total implementation of the CHT Accord including the developmental programme initiated by the international donor community.