The victim Duran Chakma Babu, 52, was an organiser for Matiranga upazila
An upazila-level leader of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samity’s (PCJSS) MN Larma faction has been killed allegedly following torture by the members of Bangladesh Army in Guimara of Khagrachhari.
It is also alleged that the victim was cremated amid high security arrangement by both the army and the local police without carrying out any post-mortem examination.
The victim Duran Chakma Babu, 52, was an organiser for Matiranga upazila. He hailed from Bhoirofa under Dighinala in the district.
The PCJSS faction and its student fronts staged demonstrations protesting the killing and the arrest of three other members. They also threatened to announce tougher programmes.
Duran was held along with three of his fellows from the PCJSS faction in a sudden raid conducted by the army men around 4:30am Saturday in the house of Nishi Moni Chakma at Indramoni Karbari Para of Guimara. The raid was led by Maj Mobin of Guimara Regional Camp.
The arrestees are Nishi Moni Chakma, 40, Amar Kanti Chakma, 18, and Rimel Tripura, 34. They were handed over to Guimara police on Saturday night.
According to the army, they recovered two pairs of military boots and an army trouser, and organisational documents, receipts of collecting party funds, and cash worth Tk3,557 from their possessions.
Guimara OC Mohammad Abu Yusuf Mia said the raid had been conducted by the army on a tip-off that there was a meeting underway in that house to launch subversive activities. The trio was held red-handed.
Sub-Inspector Md Idris Mia has been given the charge to investigate the matter. Moreover, the OC said an extortion case had been filed against the three.
Maj Mobin said Duran Chakma had died at Matiranga Health Complex from breathing problem.
He said, on information given by the four detainees, they had taken Duran to Bailyachhari rubber grove to recover hidden arms around 9:15am on Sunday. The operation was led by Matiranga Zone’s Captain Kauser Badal.
Duran tried to flee the scene as the army men had found a light machine-gun and two rounds of ammunition, and jumped off the hill. “He fell on a tree and hurt his chest. As he started to face breathing problem, the team took him to Matiranga Health Complex around 10:30am. He died there around 1:30pm. Doctors told us that Duran had breathing problems from before.”
Matiranga police OC Mohammad Moin Uddin Khan said the body was taken to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital to conduct a post-mortem examination and that no one from the victim’s family had contacted the police.
Other versions differ
Locals and several police personnel, seeking anonymity, claimed that after the raid early Saturday, the four PCJSS members had been taken to the Guimara Regional Camp and tortured severely until night. Duran fell sick at that time, and so he was not handed over to the police.
Locals also say the activists had gone to the house of Nishi Moni to hold a regular organisational meeting and that it was an informal one.
Police say the trio, who were sued for extortion, had no cases filed against them.
Sources in police also confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that the body Duran had not been taken to Khagrachhari Hospital for post-mortem examination and had been kept somewhere unknown until the night.
Witnesses said the body was taken to Matiranga Mohajan Para cremation ground around 11:30pm on Sunday amid tight security.
Members of the army and the police cordoned the area, entered the ground breaking the gate and cremated Duran’s body by putting petrol on it. The cremation ground authorities were not informed about the issue either.
Locals suspect that the army was behind the death of Duran since the body had not been examined and was cremated hurriedly.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
