chtnews.com
News No. 92/2013,
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Several hundred Jumma
villagers fled their homes last night amid communal tensions sparked by midnight anti-Jumma
slogans and demonstrations by Bengali settlers in Taindong under Matiranga
Upazila.
According to sources,
on Wednesday night, at about 11:30pm, some Bengali settlers exploded
fireworks and then shouted “terrorists have come, terrorists have come” through
mike, before gathering at Taindong bazaar.
At 1am, several
hundred settlers held marches, shouting provocative slogans against the Jumma
people.
This caused tremendous
fear and anxiety among Jummas in five neighbouring villages of Headman Para,
Boga Para, Pomang Para, Tanakka Para and Kolindra Karbari Para No. 3, and
fearing attacks, several hundred Jumma families from these villages fled into
the jungle.
One source said a
total of 257 fear-stricken families including 130 families from Headman Para
fled their homes. Of them, 127 families took refuge near Indian border.
He, however, added
that these 127 families have returned to their village following a security
guarantee by Border Guards Bangladesh.
“Others have not yet
come back,” he said adding that fears still persist in the Jumma
neighbourhoods.
Meanwhile, the
settlers have asked their fellow Bengali drivers not to allow Jumma passengers
into their vehicles, while the Jummas have refrained from going to Taindong
bazaar for fear of attacks.
The settlers are
reportedly preparing to hold another round of demonstration in Taindong bazaar
today.
Last night’s tensions
came 22 days after Bengali and Jumma leaders of Matiranga signed a deal to
tackle earlier tensions between the two communities.
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