Baghaichhari attack: Who was the target?

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Kamrul Hasan and Nuruchsafa Manik
Published : 13:52, Mar 23, 2019 | Updated : 13:57, Mar 23, 2019

Seven people, including a polling officer, have been gunned down in Rangamati on Monday (Mar 18). File PhotoThe lethal attack on election officials in Baghaichhari, Rangamati that killed seven people is the most significant incident of violence during an election in Bangladesh in recent years.
While the violence in the hill tracts have always been limited to political infighting, even then mostly among the indigenous factions, the gun attack on civilians, government officials, people who were conducting elections, is unprecedented.
The attack has dispelled two long-standing notions. Firstly, since the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord was signed in 1997, no government officials or vehicles were attacked. Secondly, the indigenous people have always held teachers in great reverence, often more than their parents. But the attack on teachers serving as election officials has shattered that idea.
Shahnaz, sister of Amir Hossain who died in the attack, asked: “Who will provide safety to us now?”
Meanwhile, law enforcement sources confided to the Dhaka Tribune that they were doubtful whether the convoy was the actual target of the attackers. Sources said several polling agents of Sudarshan Chakma, who had won the upazila polls, were also traveling with the convoy.
The number of the polling agents in the convoy could not be ascertained but statements from Ansar members put the number between five and seven.
The sources said when the patrol from Konglak reached Baghahat, including another team from Machalong, the Border Guards Bangladesh convoy was trailed by a civilian vehicle carrying several polling agents.
The vehicle stopped at a place named Dosh Number near the 54 Battalion camp. Some of the polling agents went to Dighinala from there, and others joined the convoy.
While speaking to the probe committee led by Additional Secretary Dipak Chakrabarty, BGB Battalion 54 Second-in-Command Major Ashraf Ali said they suspect that civilians were their target as their vehicle took the brunt of the attack.
Major Ashraf said the initial idea was that the trailing vehicles were part of the convoy, but it later stopped somewhere.
However, a member of law enforcement also said that this remains uncertain as the vehicle behind the BGB vehicle was also fired on.
While Ansar Platoon Commander Shamsuzzaman strongly opposed carrying any polling agents on the vehicle, a female Ansar member, Yasmin Begum, who luckily survived the attack said she saw some five unknown people in the vehicle who were cards bearing the Horse symbol, the mark of Sudarshan Chakma.
Meanwhile, Anthony Chakma, one of the team leaders who was at Baghachhari Health Complex under treatment on Thursday told the Dhaka Tribune that one unknown person carrying a Horse symbol polling agent card in the car.
According to law enforcement officials, two victims – Montu Chakma who died in the attack and Strong Chakma, who is currently undergoing treatment at Chittagong CMH, are polling agents.
Baghachhari police station Officer-in-Charge MA Monzur said they are still confusion over who the target was as they have yet to identify anyone, much less make any arrests.
He said: “We have received a number of substantial information, but we cannot reveal them as the investigation is ongoing. But there is confusion over who the target was.”
The probe committee has also acknowledged that identifying the target of the attack is paramount, however they too refused to comment as part of the investigation.
Baghaichhari Municipality Mayor Zafar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that locals have lost a lot of faith after the attack, and morale is at an all-time low.
He said: “They attacked a convoy carrying government officials and killed teachers as well. This has the local Bangalis concerned about their own safety.”
Meanwhile, a two member team formed by National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh (NHRC,B) visited the spot and victims at at Baghaichhari Health Complex. After returning to Khagrachhari, the team called the attack a result of election-based violence.
Al Mahmud Faizul Kabir, director (Complaints and Inquiry) at NHRC,B, the committee lead, told the Dhaka Tribune that they have found evidence of polling agents of elected candidates present,
Shah Poran, assistant director (Logistics), the other member of the team, said he believes it was a political clash after the polls.
The NHRCB director mentioned that the lives of the police members and Anser members in the region are at risk and urged to ensure safety for everyone.
He also said they would submit their report within Thursday.

/pdn/
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