Ushatan Talukder, Member of Parliament (MP) of 299 Parbatya Rangamati constituency and also Vice President of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) paid a visit to Longadu on 14 June 2017 to see aftermath situation of looting and arson attack in the Jumma dwellings by the Bengali settlers in collusion of law enforcing and security forces. He visited the damaged villages of Tintila, Manikjorchara, Batya Para and Boradam and also called on the family of deceased Nurul Islam Nayon, the motor cycle driver of whose death had triggered the Longadu arson tragedy. He attended in two separate view exchange meetings with the government officials and public representatives at Longadu Upazila conference hall and with the affected Jumma people of arson attack at Manikjorchara in Longadu.
In the view exchange meeting held in the Upazila Conference Hall moderated by Md. Tohidul Islam, Assistant Commissioner (Land) on behalf of the Upazila Executive Officer, Ushatan Talukder MP attended as the Chief Guest while, among others, spoken by Jaan-E-Alam, Member of Rangamati Hill District Council and Tofazzal Hossain, Chairman of Longadu Upazila Parishad.
In his speech, Ushatan Talukder MP pointed out that as the killing of motor cycle driver Nurul Islam Nayon is of condemnation so inhuman and at the same time, abhorrent is the incident of looting and setting fire to the houses of innocent Jumma people. He demanded bringing of all the persons involved with these crimes under trial and award exemplary punishment. He called upon the local administration to play an impartial role in the probe of the crime. Expressing his opinion, he said that the affected Jumma villagers are not in a position to nurture confidence upon the administration including the police and hence, he opined that the administration would have to be impartial in ensuring safety and security to lives and properties of the Jumma villagers. He demanded proper compensation with construction of their houses and rehabilitation of the affected Jumma villagers and stressed upon the Task Force on Rehabilitation of Returnee Jumma Refugees and Internally Displaced Jumma Peoples (IDPs) for implementation of the rehabilitation programme.
Earlier, Ushatan Talukder MP had attended the view exchange meeting held at Manikjorchara with the affected Jumma villagers of Longadu arson attack. Attended in the meeting, among others, were Goutam Dewan, Convener of Longadu Crisis Assistance Coordination Committee and also CHT Citizens’ Committee; Prakriti Ranjan Chakma, Joint Convener of the Committee and also President of CHT Chapter of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and Nirupa Dewan, former member of the National Human Rights Commission.
In the meeting, Ushatan Talukder MP said, the incident of looting and arson in the Jumma dwellings in Longadu had been an inhuman act. Setting fire in the three villages by the Bengali settlers with the help of local law enforcing and security forces had been a pre-planned action, since, had it not been a deliberate one, the houses would have not been set on fire with petrol and inflammable oil. The motor cycle driver Nurul Islam Nayon was killed in Khagrachari. But setting fire to the Jumma houses in Longadu was a crime and straightway violation of human rights. He urged Jumma victims to be united to fight for their rights and against injustice. He added that the victims of arson attack are not alone, many individuals, organisations and governments of the globe including civil society of the country came forward in favour of Jumma victims.
Besides, he demanded for a proper probe to the murder of Nayon and Longadu looting and arson incident and award exemplary punishment to the culprits under the law. He informed the meeting that he had apprised the incident to the higher authorities of the government and also he had raised the same in the parliament at the ‘point of order’ hour. He informed the meeting that it was a part of his endeavor that a delegation of 14 party alliance led by Mohammad Nasim, Health Minister of the government of Bangladesh, paid a visit to the affected area in Longadu, since he had placed a proposal to send a parliamentary team in the parliament.
After the meeting, financial aid was given to 224 affected Jumma families at the initiative of Longadu Crisis Assistance Coordination Committee. Of the 224 families, relief was distributed among 84 families in Tintila, 88 families in Manikjorchara and 42 families in Batya Para. Each affected family was given an amount of BDT 6,000 in cash and a set of relief package containing lungi, pinon, gamchha, matress and mosquito net including other collected materials. Apart from this, free medical service was rendered to 236 patients under leadership of Dr. Uday Shankar Dewan and Dr. Binoy Dewan.