‘Vested groups behind violence in the hills’

Three advisers, who visited Rangamati and Khagrachhari yesterday, have pointed out that vested groups are trying to destabilise the situation in the hills with a view to putting the interim government in an awkward position.
Urging everyone to remain vigilant, they assured the locals of forming a high-level committee to investigate all the incidents that took place between Wednesday and Friday, and bringing the wrongdoers to book, said a release of the Chief Adviser’s Office yesterday.
The recent violence in the Chattogram Hill Tracts left four people dead.
Tension was prevailing in Rangamati and Khagrachhari yesterday as vehicles were off the roads and waterway transport services remained suspended amid a 72-hour road and waterway blockade enforced by hill student organisations from Friday evening protesting the violence.
Markets, shops, and other businesses were shut in the two districts towns as section 144 was imposed on Friday.
Several vehicles were vandalised in Rangamati during Friday’s violence, said transport owners.
Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Local Government Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, and CHT Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma visited the two hill districts yesterday. They discussed law and order with the local people and the officials concerned.
They also met with local political leaders, eminent personalities, representatives from business and trade bodies, media outlets, law enforcement agencies and district councils in Rangamati and Khagrachhari towns.
The advisers said the onus is on the local leaders to maintain harmony and peace in the area and they must play their due role.
Law enforcement agencies have been asked to show maximum restraint, they said.
They warned that no attacks on the places of worships would be tolerated.
The advisers said that no one should take the law into their own hands whatever the situation may be. They warned of stern actions for violating this instruction.
They said that treatment of all the injured will be ensured, and if necessary, military hospitals would be made available for this purpose.
Speaking to reporters in Rangamati and Feni, Local Government Adviser AF Hassan Ariff and ICT Adviser Nahid Islam yesterday expressed suspicion that the recent violence in the hills was the result of “conspiracies”.
The home adviser said stern action will be taken against the perpetrators of violence.
The home adviser, local government adviser and CHT affairs adviser had a meeting with the local government officials and the representatives of security forces at Bangladesh Army’s Base in Rangamati around noon.
“[In the meeting,] everyone was saying that a conspiracy was hatched from abroad to foil harmony,” Hassan Ariff told reporters after the meeting.
He said everybody demanded formation of an independent probe body to bring the perpetrators to book through a fair investigation.
Home Adviser Jahangir said a high-level probe body comprising senior officials will be formed to probe the recent violence.
“No one will be spared. Those found involved in trying to incite violence will face stringent punishment. We will not allow any deterioration in law and order situation,” he warned.
Talking to reporters during his visit to some flood-hit areas in Feni’s Chhagalnaiya upazila, ICT Adviser Nahid yesterday said attempts were made to worsen law and order in the country.
“There is a long-standing problem in the CHT region and we will have to solve it ourselves,” he said.
The adviser said the government did not shut the internet service in the CHT region.
There were isolated cases of internet cuts in some areas, but the issue was exaggerated and termed “internet blackout”.