Chakma body urges Bangladesh Govt to withdraw magisterial powers of Army

Guwahati, Sept 23: After the atrocities on minority and ethnic community in Bangladesh, the Central Young Chakma Association (CYCA), the largest community based organisation of Mizoram, has urged the interim Bangladesh government to withdraw the magistral and policing powers granted to the Army.

The organisation has asked the country’s government to ensure protection of the indigenous people and preventing further militarisation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region.

Speaking to media persons, CYCA President, Jyoti Bikash Chakma, said that they implore the interim Bangladesh government led by Muhammad Yunus to immediately withdraw the magisterial and policing powers granted to the Army officers in the CHT to ensure the protection of the Indigenous (Adivasi) people and prevent further militarisation of the region.

He said that extending magisterial and policing powers to the Army officers in CHT risks severe misuse against the indigenous population given the mountainous region’s troubling history of military excesses and oppression of indigenous people.

“The communal attacks on the Chakma and other tribals have come to light days after Bangladesh granted magistracy powers to the army for two months, ostensibly to improve law and order and curb subversive acts,” Chakma noted.

Thousands of tribals, mostly Buddhist Chakmas, on Saturday, organised massive demonstrations and rallies in Mizoram and Tripura to protest the continuous attack on minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh.

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