Adivashi new year procession faces obstruction

Star Online Report

Law enforcers obstructed indigenous people of Khagrachhari from bringing out a procession marking 'Biju' festival this morning as they failed to show any written copy of permission for holding the programme.

"But later, we allowed them to bring out the procession on instruction from the deputy commissioner's office," Sheikh Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of police in Khagrachhari, told The Daily Star around 10:10am.

As part of the tradition to mark of the Pahela Baishakh, people of the indigenous community were attempting to bring out a colorful procession in Madhubazar area around 8:30am, the SP said.

"We barred them on their way as they failed to show us the copy of permission," the police official said.

Contacted, Monam Dewan, member secretary of the festival observation committee, told our correspondent that he met the deputy commissioner on April 9 and informed him about the programme.

"I was told that we did not need any permission to observe such programmes," he added.

Nomita Chakma, an eye witness, claimed that the members of law enforcement agencies charged batons on the locals when they were gathering at Madhubazar.

They also picked up one Alton Chakma from the scene, the witness told The Daily Star.

Asked about lawmen's action on indigenous people and the detention, the SP told the correspondent that he has no information about it.  

"But if there was any listed criminal, police have the authority to detain anyone from any place," he added. 

Khagrachhari Sushil Samaj organised the programme on the occasion of the Bangali New Year.