Dighinala Correspondent, CHT News
Saturday, August 29, 2026
A permanent memorial erected in Dighinala,
Khagrachhari, in memory of Bharadwaj Muni Chakma, regarded as the first martyr
of the democratic movement in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), was allegedly
demolished by a man identified as Rajib Chakma.
According to local residents and eyewitnesses, the
memorial, which was permanently installed beside a road in Babup Para near
Dighinala College, was demolished at around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, August 28,
2026.
Rajib Chakma is currently a member of Ward No. 6 of
Dighinala Union No. 4. Local sources said he was previously associated with the
JSS (Reformist) and the so-called Thyangare Bahini, also known as the
Nabyomukhos (New Masked) group, which locals allege was formed with military
backing. Residents further alleged that he was forcibly made a union council
member while associated with the group. He has also been accused of involvement
in several killings and other criminal activities during his alleged association
with the group.
Rajib Chakma lives in Samarendu Karbari Para in the
same ward. His father is Sadhan Bandhu Chakma, also known as Kalachan.
Initial reports suggest that Rajib Chakma demolished
the memorial after claiming that he had purchased the land where it stood,
reportedly with the intention of constructing a house there. However, there are
allegations that the demolition may have been instigated by forces aligned with
the ruling establishment.
Meanwhile, local sources said leaders of the JSS
(Reformist) are scheduled to meet with Rajib Chakma at noon today, August 29,
in an effort to resolve the matter.
Bharadwaj Muni Chakma, a 70-year-old man, was killed
on October 13, 1992, near Maini Bridge after he came to Dighinala town to
attend a mass student gathering organized by the Hill Students Council.
According to accounts of the incident, settlers allegedly attacked the
gathering with military support. Nearly 50 men and women were injured in the
attack.
Bharadwaj Muni is regarded as the first person to be
martyred in the democratic movement in the CHT. His sacrifice remains a
landmark event in the history of the region's political movement.
The demolition of the memorial has sparked anger and
resentment among local residents. They have demanded that the memorial be
immediately restored to its original location and that the person accused of
demolishing it be brought under the law.
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