B'desh forms committee to probe violence, delegation to visit affected area

Bangladesh government on Friday announced that a high-powered probe committee would soon be formed to investigate all incidents of violence in the three districts of Chittagong hill tracts.

A high-level delegation will visit Khagrachhari and Rangamati on Saturday to address the violent situation from Wednesday, officials said.

State-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency, quoting a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR), requested people to extend cooperation to law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and harmony in the three hill districts and calming the ongoing tension.

A statement from the Chief Adviser's office said the interim government has directed all forces to exercise restraint and ensure the safety of residents of the three hill districts following recent violence and fatalities.

The ISPR statement also raised concerns about the potential for "severe riots" following recent clashes that resulted in at least four fatalities, news portal BDNews24 said.

Section 144 has been imposed in Khagrachhari municipal town, district headquarters, and Rangamati municipal area, it added.

The BSS reported that on September 18, a 30-year-old person was lynched by a group of unruly people for stealing a motorcycle in Khagrachhari district town.

Later, Sadar Thana police members recovered his body and handed it over to the family after the post-mortem.

On September 19, a procession was brought out from Dhighinala College centring the incident, the BSS said, adding that when the procession was crossing Boalkhali Bazar in Dighinala, some terrorists of UPDF (main) carried out attacks on the procession and fired 20 to 30 rounds of bullets.

In view of this, the angry mob set fire to some shops in Boalkhali Bazar.

During the clash, six people from both sides were injured. Later, an army patrol team reached the spot and brought the situation under control, the BSS added.

On September 19 night, an agitated mob led by UPDF (main) created obstruction when a patrol team of the Khagrachhari zone reached the Swanirvar area of Khagrachhari town and opened fire on the army patrol team members, forcing the army to retaliate in self-defence. Three people were killed in retaliatory fire, said the ISPR release.