There is no alternative to irrigation to stop fruits from dropping, but water is scarce in the hilly region
Taindang monasteries vandalised
Two Buddhist monasteries in the Chittagong Hill tracts were vandalised by Bengali settlers, who attacked tribal villages in Matiranga on Saturday.
Published : 6 August 2013, 05:09 PM
Updated : 6 August 2013, 05:09 PM
Rumours of a Bengali motorcyclist’s’ abduction had triggered the attack that burnt five villages, inhabited by Chakmas and Tripura tribes, to a cinder.
The Shabesshworpara Janashakti Bouddha Bihar and Monudashpara Bouddho Bihar were vandalised and looted in a communal flare-up at the Taindang settlement on Saturday.
The rumour that Md Kamal Uddin, a 32-year-old motorcyclist, had been abducted began doing the round around Saturday noon, provoking the arson and looting.
The frightened villagers fled their homes, crossing the Feni River to take refuge in the no-man’s land on the other side of the border.
They returned following assurances of safety, and were given relief once they were back.
Khagrhachharhi district Superintendant of Police Sheikh Mizanur Rahman told bdnews24.com after interrogating seven suspects that the kidnap story was a sheer concoction, the attackers had been identified.
Shabesshworpara Janashakti Bouddha Bihar Director and monk Shobhodorshi said he, too, had fled during the raid, and returned to see the monastery in ruins.
Established in 1973, it had been a symbol of heritage for the Chakmas.
The right arm of a large Buddha idol at the Manudas Para Boudhda Bihar was missing.
Monastery Director Nandanpriya Vante said the place of worship had been built during the BNP rule with the funds provided by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board.
He described the attack as “very tragic”.
While inspecting the Shabesshworpara Boudhha Bihar, Palashpur Zone BGB Commander Lieutenant Colonel Shihab Uddin Shoaib said its reconstruction started on Tuesday.
Taindang UP Chairman Tajul Islam denounced the attacks on the villages and the Buddhist shrines, saying they were regrettable and unacceptable.
He sought the government’s help in restoring and rebuilding the two monasteries, while demanding exemplary punishment for the vandals.
RELATED STORIES
The health directorate advises people to avoid working in sunlight for a long period, but rest is a luxury the poor cannot afford
Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina was accorded a warm welcome upon her arrival at the Government House, the Thai premier's office
The traders were returning to their neighbourhood after buying vegetables from the wholesale market in Manikganj’s Jaagir.
