Many families from national minority communities in Guimara upazila of Khagrachari fled their homes and went into hiding on Monday in fear of attacks and possible detention by the law enforcement agencies following Sunday鈥檚 violence in Guimara upazila that left three Marma youths killed and dozens injured.
The families have been taking shelter in their relatives鈥� houses leaving all their belongings back in their homes.
Many of them lost their homes and businesses that were burned down in an arson attack in the Ramesu Bazar area under Guimara upazila on Sunday during a road blockade protesting against the September 23 rape of a 12-year-old Marma girl, 抖阴精品 Correspondent in Khagrachari reported.
At least 100 houses and shops, mostly belonging to national minorities, were gutted in the fire.
The bodies of three Marma youths killed during Sunday鈥檚 violence were handed over to their families after autopsy at Khagrachari Sadar Hospital Monday evening, according to the hospital authorities.
The deceased are Athui Marma, 21, Athrau Marma, 22, and Taiching Marma, 20, all residents of Guimara upazila, Chattogram range deputy inspector general of police Ahsan Habib Palash said.
鈥楾he situation is now under control. The members of the army, the Border Guard Bangladesh and the police were patrolling the area. We are urging everyone to help maintain a peaceful situation,鈥� he added.
Aungchinu Marma, a resident in the affected Ramesu Bazar area, said that his two houses and five shops were gutted in the arson attack carried out by unidentified miscreants.
鈥楩ollowing the growing tension in the area on Sunday, I left the area with my family in fear of possible attacks,鈥� he said.
He said that he failed to save anything from his houses and shops during the arson attack.
Guimara Government High School teacher Lincon Marma said that a group of Bengali people broke into his house and attacked him along with his family members on Sunday.
Later, one of his students rescued them and took them to his house to pass the night, he said.
鈥楳y whole family is leaving the house out of fear for our lives. We will be staying at a relative鈥檚 house for some days,鈥� he said on Monday.
Meanwhile, a platform of the minority community people, Jumma Chhatra Janata, announced via their official Facebook page that the blockade on the Chattogram鈥揔hagrachari and Dhaka鈥揔hagrachari highways was eased from 12:00 noon on Monday to allow treatment for the injured and burial arrangements for the deceased.
Dozens of people, including 13 army officials and three police officials, were also injured during the clashes.
Jumma Chhatra Janata, in a statement on Monday, claimed that six of the national minority people remained missing until Monday evening.
The Inter-Services Public Relations, however, in a statement on Sunday night accused the United People鈥檚 Democratic Front, a political organisation based in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and its affiliated groups of instigating the violence.
The UPDF, however, in a statement on Monday denied the allegation and termed the army鈥檚 statement a failed attempt to hide their crimes.
Meanwhile, section 144 imposed by the administration in Khagrachari municipality and Sadar and Guimara upazilas of the district remained in effect until filing the report at about 11:00pm on Monday.
On Sunday, the platform 鈥楯umma Chhatra Janata鈥� enforced a road blockade in the three hill districts, calling for punishment of those responsible for Sunday鈥檚 鈥榓ttacks鈥� on minority community people, arrest of all involved in the rape, and release of all students and activists detained during the ongoing movement.
Guimara police station officer-in-charge Enamul Haque said that there was no news of blockade supporters gathering anywhere in the upazila throughout the day.
The law enforcers have been patrolling the area since Monday morning to keep the situation under control, he added.
The 12-year-old Marma girl was reportedly raped by three Bengali youths on September 23, when she was returning home from private tuition at Singinala in Khagrachari at about 9:00pm.
The victim鈥檚 father filed a case the following day with the Khagrachari sadar police station against three unidentified men.
So far, the police have arrested one suspect, Shayan Shil, who was placed on a five-day remand by a court in Khagrachari.
