Harassment of Buddhist monks: protests continue

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Harassment of Buddhist monks: protests continue



chtnews.com
News No. 40/2009, May 24, 2009



Protests against harassment of Buddhist monks are continuing in and outside of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.



In Lakshmichari of Khagrachari district, more than 200 Buddhist followers staged demonstration today and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the UNO.



The memo was received by Md. Salimullah, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Lakshmichari.



Mr. Sunity Bikash Chakma, Chairman of Laxmichari UP, Mr. Rajendra Chakma and Mr. Karunamoy Chakma led the demonstration and submitted the memo on behalf of the participants.



They demanded punishment to Captain Shamim for being responsible for the harassment of Ven. Bishuddhananda Thero and other Buddhist monks on May 21, an end to harassment of Jummas including monks at check posts, and withdrawal of all military and paramilitary check posts in the CHT.



Rangamati

In Rangamati town, about 500 people participated in a protest rally today. Held at Shilpakala Academy, the rally was addressed by Saranga Dhanu Chakma alias Shankar, a retired member of Bangladesh Air Force and also President of Banduk Bhanga Bana Vihar; Subhash Chakma, member, Jurachari Bana Vihar; Biswajit Barua, member, Naniachar Bana Vihar; Rahul Chakma, member, Banduk Bhanga Union; Ramani Ranjan Chakma, Chairman in charge of Naniachar; and Sadananda Chakma, a lay follower.



After the rally, the participants marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner in a procession and handed him a memorandum.



Protest in Chittagong

On Friday, 22 May, Buddhist followers organised a rally in front of press club in protest at the harassment of Ven. Bishuddhananda Thero.



The rally was addressed among others by Dr. Jina Bodhi Bhikkhu, professor of Chittagong University, Rinku Chakma, central committee member of Democratic Youth Forum, Dhiman Chakma, from Bandar area and Shyamol Chakma, a youth leader in Bandar.



Press club chairman Abu Sufian also addressed the rally expressing solidarity with the demands of the protestants.



The rally was followed by a procession which ended at Dosth Building Square, near New Market.



Khagrachari

In Khagrachari, an 11-member committee was formed yesterday to organise a rally in protest against the harassment of Buddhist monks.



Renowned educationist Ananta Bihari Khisha is heading the committee.



It will organise a protest rally tomorrow, one of the committee members told chtnews.com.



More protests are planned in and outside CHT, sources said.

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chtnews.com is an independent and voluntary online news service dedicated to projecting and analyzing the current events in the Chittagong Hill Tracts from the perspective of the Jumma people's struggle for the right to self-determination. For further information please contact at: chtnewsonline@gmail.com