Baghaihat arson pre-planned, orchestrated

Baghaihat arson pre-planned, orchestrated

Says army chief

Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari



Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord was signed to ensure peace in the region, but a section of the population there is always involved in terrorist activities in an effort to sabotage the areas development, said Army Chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed.

He urged the local administration to take actions against the 'terrorists'.

He made the comments yesterday while distributing relief materials in Gangaram Muk under Sajek union of Rangamati among the victims of April 20 arson attack in Baghaihat, which left 132 houses burnt to ashes and 9 persons injured.

Terming the April 20 incident as pre-planned and orchestrated, he also said such incidents occurred in CHT several times as a section of the population there always wants to keep the hilly districts unstable to stifle development activities.

Some of the crime prone people incite clashes between peaceful Banglee settlers and the people of the indigenous communities, and later they clap their hands sitting in Dhaka, the general said adding that the 'criminals' never want to see actual peace in the area.

As CHT is a part of the country, there is no division between Bangalees and the indigenous people, he said.

All citizens in the area should think of themselves as Bangladeshis and work in unison for real development of the region, he added.

The region has the potential to become one of the most amazing tourist attractions in the country, if the situation there improves, Moeen said.

The army has been constructing roads and bridges there for real development and it will continue to do so, he said.

The government decided to introduce mobile phone network in the region to improve public communication, and a judge court will be set up to ensure justice in CHT, but if the situation there remains unstable then how those plans will be implemented, the army chief questioned.

The people of remote Sajek area are getting benefited by the roads and other communication systems built there, they are being able to sell their products in markets, which was once unimaginable, Gen Moeen went on.

He also said CHT is very different from the plain, the people there have to face natural calamities like the recent rat infestation in agricultural fields there, he added.

"You all have to fight these unfavorable situations. The government has taken an initiative to introduce the VGF system here to help the people face the food crisis sparked by the rat infestation in agricultural fields," the army chief assured the people of CHT.

Later he distributed rice, potato, dal and Tk 500 in cash among each of the victimised families, and announced that he will contribute Tk 10,000 and some clothes to the compensation fund.

Unknown assailants burnt to ashes at least 132 houses in a clash between Bangalee settlers and the indigenous communities in Baghaihat under Baghaichhari upazila in Rangamati on April 20 leaving 9 persons injured.