One Jumma girl child raped in Dighinala

As the world observes International Women’s Day, a girl child is raped in a village in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region where an overwhelming presence of military and settlers makes the ethnic Jumma women most vulnerable to sexual assaults.

Four-year old Ety Chakma was raped by Mostafa Mian, a Bengali settler from Betchari village in Dighinala Upazila, yesterday, 8 March, sources in Khagrachari said.

Quoting the victim’s father Zhimit Chakma and mother Joshi Chakma of village Shanti Lakshmipur in Madhyom Boalkhali under Dighinala Upazila, sources said the incident occurred at 1pm when Ety Chakma went to Miyeeni River, half a Kilometer away from their house, to have a bath.

At 3pm she was taken to Dighinala hospital from where she was referred to Khagrachari District Hospital.
“She is now lying on bed number 8 in the Child Unit of the hospital”, sources said.

Victim’s parents said the Officer-in-Charge of Dighinala police station had contacted them and taken their signature on a blank paper. They did not know the reason why the police did this.

Sonali Chakma, president of Hill Women’s Federation, condemned the incident and urged the government to bring the culprit to justice.

chtnews.com
News No. 11/2009, March 9, 2009