Major Activities in 2017

442

January 04, 2017
The Hill Students’ Council (PCP), Hill Women’s Federation and Democratic Youth Forum staged a demonstration in Laxmichari, Khagrachari district in protest against crackdown on a rally previously held to demand the release of Laxmichari Upazila chairman Super Joti Chakma, who was arrested by army on the night on 1 January from his official residence.

On the same day, the Super Joti Chakma Mukti Sangram Committee (Committee for Organising Protests for Release of Super Joti Chakma) blocked roads in Khagrachari district, demanding the release of Super Joti Chakma.

January 08, 2017
A protest rally was held by the Hill Women’s Federation, Chittagong Hill Tracts Women’s Association, Democratic Youth Forum and Hill Students’ Council in the city of Chittagong, rejecting the inquiry report on the abduction of Kalpana Chakma. The protesters chanted ‘We don’t accept biased inquiry report, we want impartial hearing’ and demanded punishment of those involved in her kidnapping, including Lt. Ferdous, Village Defense Party (VDP) platoon commander Saleh Ahmed and VDP member Nurul Haq.

February 17, 2017
The PCP organized a ‘script procession’ and held a student rally in Chittagong city, demanding introduction of primary education in the mother tongues of the ethnic national minorities. The main theme of the procession and the rally was ‘My mother language is my Right.’

March 12, 2017
A candle light vigil was held at Yong-daw Buddhist temple in Khagrachari town in memory of those killed at Alutila when a loaded truck ran over them. Five organizations – the CHT Women’s Association, Sajek Nari Samaj, Ghilachari Committee to Resist Women Repression and Women Self-defense Committee – organized the event.

March 29, 2017
A CHT-wide class boycott programme was observed in educational institutions at the call of the five organizations to press home their demand for justice for the murder of Eti Chakma, Shohagi Jahan Tonu, Tuimra Ching Marma and Sobita Chakma.

April 23, 2017
The PCP and the Committee to Protest the Killing of Romel Chakma blocked roads and waterways in Rangamati district, demanding the arrest and punishment of Naniachar zone commander Bahalul Alam and Major Tanvir for the death of PCP leader Romel Chakma in their custody.

June 05, 2017
The UPDF Rangamati unit blocked roads and waterways in Rangamati district from 5 a.m. to 12 noon, protestingan arson attack on a Jumma neighbourhood in Langudu. About 200 houses were set on fire and an elderly woman was burnt alive during the attack perpetrated jointly by army and Bengali settlers.

September 18, 2017
1)   The Hill Students’ Council Khagrachari district unit organized a student rally in Khagrachari under the slogan ‘Get united for a democratic education system, stop appointing primary school teachers through corrupt District Councils, and resist conspiracy to destroy the standard of education’.

2)  Rangamati district committees of the Hill Women’s Federation and CHT Women Association and Ghilachari Committee to Resist Women Repression organized a joint conference at Kudukchari which was attended by Chakma queen Rani Yan Yan as chief guest.

October 23, 2017
The DYF Panchari Upazila unit blocked roads in Panchari, demanding the release of its leaders including Buddhiram Tripura, who were kidnapped and then handed over to the army by JSS Reformist group.

November 14, 2017
An anti-terrorism rally was held in Panchari by a citizen group and elected public representatives of the area. The rally, which was presided over by Logang Union Council chairman Prottuttor Chakma, represented a protest against the military policy of pitting one section of the Jumma people against another by way of sponsoring vigilante groups in the CHT.

November 16, 2017
The Committee to Resist Drugs, Terrorism and Hooliganism blocked roads in Khagrachari district, protesting the creation of a vigilante group, popularly known as Nobyo Mukhosh Bahini or New Masked Force by Bangladesh military intelligence in the CHT.

In Dhaka, the Hill Students’ Council staged a demonstration in protest against the creation of the terrorist group.

December 07, 2017
The Resistance Committee Against Nobyo Mukhosh Bahini blocked roads and waterways in Rangamati district, protesting the killing of a former Union Council member, Anadi Ranjan Chakma by NMB vigilantes with the support of the army.