Army searches houses in Ghilachari

chtnews.com
News No. 190/2009, November 14, 2009

Army personnel raided and searched three houses in Ghilachari last night in an apparent bid to intimidate the participants of an uprising sparked by an incident of sexual violence involving a member of Bangladesh Army.

According to sources, the soldiers searched the house of Angad Chakma, a member of Bangladesh Navy, whose wife Poheli Chakma has played an important role in the uprising.

The soldiers entered their house in a threatening manner, asked her silly questions about their marriage and took away her husband’s photographs apparently to pressure him to stop her from taking part in the movement.

The other two houses the soldiers searched include Amar Jibon Chakma, ex-chairman of Ghilachari Union Parishad, and Jogendra Chakma, incumbent member of Ward No. 7 under Ghilachari Union.

A resident of Ghilachari told chtnews.com by mobile phone that “the army is still there in the area.”

“My view is that the aim of the deployment of the army is to intimidate and coerce the people into retreat.” he commented.