The monks from 15 religious organisations on Sunday announced that this year they would not observe Kathin Chibardan, a major Buddhist ritual festival celebrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, in the present situation of insecurity in the three hill districts.聽
At a press conference held in Rangmati, they also alleged that in most cases the violent sectarian attacks were committed on the national minorities following direct and indirect assistance of the law enforcement and security agencies to the attackers.
Rangamati deputy commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan told 抖阴精品 that they would meet the monks today to have discussions with them.
鈥楢t present there is no insecurity in the CHT districts,鈥� he said in reply to a question.
Under the banner of Parbattaya Chattogram Sammilita Bhikshu Sangha, monks from 15 organisations, including Parbattaya Chattogram Bhikshu Sangha, held the press conference at the Rangamati Maitree Bihar on the day.
While reading out a statement, Parbattaya Chattogram Bhikshu Sangha president Bhadanta Sraddhalangkar Mohathero mentioned about the recent violence in the three hill districts鈥擱angamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban.
He said that communal attacks, looting, arson, vandalism of Buddha鈥檚 statues and attacks on Buddhist temples were repeatedly perpetrated in the hill districts.
鈥楢ccording to the victims鈥� allegations, in most of the cases these violent incidents were taking place with the direct and indirect assistance of the law enforcement and security agencies,鈥� he said, adding that due to the inactive role of these agencies the prevalence of these attacks multiplied.聽
Sraddhalangkar Mohathero also alleged that recently even when the Section-144 was imposed in Khagrachari, attacks continued on the national minority owned businesses and properties in front of the law enforcement agencies.
In some cases, although the government formed probe committees for investigating the attacks the probe reports were never published, he continued.
Following the deterioration of law and order in the CHT amid recent sectarian violence and no visible initiatives from the administration to stop the violence, the feeling of insecurity and mistrust of the administration heightened among the Buddhists and their religious leaders, he further said.
鈥楿nder these circumstances, we are compelled to take a unanimous decision not to observe Kathin Chibordan programme this year,鈥� he said.聽
The festival starts in November in Bangladesh.
At the conference, the monks from different organisations were present.
Meanwhile, Rangamati Rajban Bihar also expressed solidarity with the announcement of the Sangha.
Clashes between the Bengalis and national minority communities in Khagrachari erupted recently after Khagrachari Government Technical School and College teacher Sohel Rana was beaten to death on October 1 for allegedly raping a Class VII student of the Tripura community.
Earlier on September 19, sectarian violence erupted at Dighinala upazila of Khagrachari after a Bengali man was rumoured to be beaten to death by national minority people in Khagrachari town on September 18.
The violence soon spread from Dighinala to Khagrachari town on the same day and in Rangmati on September 20.
Four national minority people were killed, more than 100 others were injured, several houses, businesses and at least three Buddhist temples were vandalised and set on fire in Rangamati and Khagrachari.
