The families of national minorities in Guimara upazila of Khagrachari said that they were passing days in fear after Sunday鈥檚 clashes that left three of the community dead and about 100 shops and houses, mostly belonging to them, burnt.
The district administration, on the other hand, on Tuesday said that they had formed a five-member committee to investigate Sunday鈥檚 violence in Guimara that left three Marma youths dead and dozens injured during protests against the rape of a Marma schoolgirl.
Khagrachari deputy commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker informed journalists of this while speaking to them during a relief distribution programme at Ramsu Bazar under Guimara upazila.
He, however, did not give any further information about the committee.
He said that the administration was also working to assess the extent of damage, provide financial assistance to the victim families, and rehabilitate the families.
Many families, who fled their homes and went into hiding in fear of attacks and possible detention by the law enforcement agencies following the violence, did not return until Tuesday evening.
The road blockade, enforced by the Jumma Chhatra Janata, continued on Tuesday for the fifth day to press their demands, including the arrest of all involved in the rape and in Sunday鈥檚 鈥榓ttacks鈥�.
A large number of the members of the law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area, 抖阴精品 correspondent in Khagrachari reported, adding that the law enforcers were seen stopping people at different points for questioning and searching.
The police said that no case was filed over the deaths and violence until Tuesday evening.
Guimara police station officer-in-charge Md Enamul Haque Chowdhury said on Tuesday night that filing cases regarding the deaths and violence was under way.
鈥榃e are currently working on the papers and cases will be filed soon. No arrest has been made so far,鈥� he added.
Khagrachari deputy commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker said that representatives of several authorities held a meeting with the leaders of the protesting Jumma Chhatra-Janata on Monday night in a bid to bring a peaceful solution through discussion.
He said that the protesters raised eight demands and seven of them were already addressed.
鈥榃e visited the area immediately after the incident, and today we have come again with some relief to stand beside the victims. The injured people have already been sent to Chattogram for advanced treatment, while the process of rehabilitating the families of the deceased is going on,鈥� he said.
Section 144 in Khagrachari Municipality, Sadar and Guimara upazila, imposed on September 27, remained in effect on Tuesday.
The administration said that the restriction would be lifted once the blockade enforced by Jumma Chhatra-Janata was withdrawn.
Local Marma residents present at the relief distribution event expressed fear of future violence and called for relief from harassment.
Khagrachari superintendent of police Arefin Jewel said that the police were working to improve the law and order situation.
鈥楾he families of the deceased have been asked to file cases. If they do not want to do so, the police will file cases on their behalf,鈥� he said.
The bodies of the Marma youths, Athui Marma, 21, Athrau Marma, 22, and Taiching Marma, 20, were cremated midnight past Monday.
Protests began on September 24 when Jumma Chhatra-Janata called for the punishment of those involved in the rape of the Marma schoolgirl while she was returning from private tuition in the Singinala area of Khagrachari Sadar on September 23.
Her father filed a case against three unidentified people and the police have so far arrested a suspect, Shayan Shil, who is now in police custody.
Demonstrations following the incident escalated into road blockades and clashes, forcing the authorities to impose Section 144 on September 27.
The situation worsened on September 28 when violence occurred at places that left three Marma residents killed and dozens injured at Ramsu Bazar in Guimara.
