Settler attack on Jumma village in Taindong

Settler attack on Jumma village in Taindong

Bengali settlers carried out an attack on a Jumma village in Taindong under Matiranga Upazila last night, looting and ransacking houses, sources said.

According to sources, a group of settlers complained to Taindong Union Council chairman, Tajul Islam that some of them were beaten up while cutting bamboos at noon at Battimuro, a hilly land belonging to Jumma villagers.

Acting on the complaint, Tajul called Jumma elders of Nuapara village including Phoni Bhushan Chakma, discussed the matter with them and said, “The settlers have become agitated.”

He also told them that he was trying his best to make sure no untoward incident took place.

But at 10pm a group of about 50 – 60 settlers began attacking Headman Para, a Jumma populated village in Taindong – an area where most of the Jumma villages were wiped out during waves of settlers attacks between 1971 and 1986.

Now only a few Jumma villages survived.

“They (settlers) entered our village, shouting and began ransacking our houses.” a villager told chtnews.com.

“On hearing them shouting and seeing them coming towards our village, we all got frightened and fled in to the jungle. Then the settlers looted and destroyed our homes.” he added.

Later, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and chairman Tajul rushed to Headman Para and brought the situation under control.

At 11pm the BGB held a meeting with members of both the communities and settled the issue.

According to initial reports, the houses of Tirtho Roy Tripura (55), Jibon Mohan Tripura (80), Shanti Tripura (50), an ex-UP member and Ananta Tripura were looted.

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