TIB condemns deaths, violence in Khagrachhari
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) today expressed outrage over the violence and multiple reported deaths in Khagrachhari, where indigenous communities were demanding justice for the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
In a press release today, the organisation said that, according to media reports, seven indigenous women have been raped in Khagrachhari over the past year, yet none of these cases have seen justice.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. TIB questioned what crime lies in the indigenous community's legitimate demand for justice following yet another brutal assault on a young girl, saying that the administration must answer this fundamental question.
The organisation called for a comprehensive judicial investigation into the incident, urging exemplary punishment for the rapists, as well as identification and accountability for those who turned a peaceful movement into violence and those who instigated and escalated the situation.
TIB's Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "Attempts to normalise the rape of indigenous women are not new. Fundamentally, why could the local administration and police under army authority not adopt timely, active and effective strategies to prevent this violence? Is this indifference or complicity towards the destructive conspiracies of vested interests, through which the systematic deprivation of indigenous rights and ethnic suppression is being normalised?"
He added that deliberate attempts to protect rapists are evident throughout the entire judicial process -- from medical examinations of rape victims to case registration and the trial proceedings. "Under these circumstances, the ongoing movement by indigenous communities stems from legitimate concerns about the denial of justice, making their protests entirely justified. Sensitive behaviour from the administration and all concerned parties was expected in this matter," Iftekharuzzaman said.
Highlighting the constitutional rights of indigenous populations to a secure and safe life, he said, "Transcending discriminatory and group-based oppressive practices, there must be judicial investigations to guarantee justice for all victims of violent crimes, including rape, with exemplary punishment ensured through proper identification of perpetrators. Without such measures, preventing the repetition of these incidents remains impossible. Concurrently, administrative authorities and relevant officials must face accountability for their visible failure to adopt effective interventions appropriate to the gravity of the situation."
Iftekharuzzaman further said, "We believe that the primary capability for establishing peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts rests with the Bangladesh Army, which has earned global recognition for peacekeeping efforts across different regions of the world. We hope the army will make timely and positive use of this capacity by taking effective initiatives to establish rights-based peace for indigenous communities in this region, striving to play a role equivalent to their commendable achievements at the global level."
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