The
9th anniversary of disappearance of Kalpana Chakma was observed
on 12 June. To mark the day, Hill Women's Federation brought
out a procession, held a rally and organised a discussion
meeting in Dhaka.
 |
| HWF
demonstrates in Dhaka marking 9th anniversary of disappearance
of Kalpana Chakma. Demand is made for the publication
of the inquiry report. |
The
rally was held near the gate of National Museum at Shahbag.
Presided over by HWF president Sonali Chakma, the rally
was also addressed by Samiul Alam Richi, general secretary
of Bangladesh Student's Federation, Prakash Dutt, president
of Jatiyo Chattra Dal, Riko Chakma, organisational secretary
of the Hill Student's Council, Dipankar Chakma, president
of Democratic Youth Forum, Konika Chakma, central committee
member of the HWF and Shapla from Nari Pragati, a women
rights body.
The rally was
conducted by general secretary of the HWF Antarika Chakma.
The speakers
demanded that inquiry report on the abduction of HWF leader
Kalpana Chakma are made public without any further delay
and Lieut. Ferdous and his accomplices responsible for her
abduction are brought to justice.
They expressed
their dissatisfaction over non-publication of the report
despite the fact that it was submitted to the government
by the three-member inquiry committee. They said by keeping
its mouth shut about the inquiry report the government is
protecting the kidnappers of Kalpana Chakma.
The HWF leaders
said, "the situation that prevailed at the time of
abduction of Kalpana Chakma from her New Lallyaghona village
in Rangamati on 12 June 1996 has not changed at all. The
lewd eyes of the military in CHT are still fixed on the
Kalpanas. The extension of military camps results in the
increase of women repression in CHT. And military patrol
is nothing but terrorize the people and a training exercise
of how to tease women."
After the rally,
a procession of the HWF paraded Dhaka University campus.
It ended at central Shahid Minar (mausoleum).
In the afternoon
the HWF organised a discussion meeting at the seminar room
of the Public Library. The theme of the discussion was "The
question of women security in militarised zones: the case
of the Chittagong Hill Tracts". Rabi Shankar Chakma,
Central Committee member of the United People's Democratic
Front (UPDF), Faizul Hakim, General Secretary of Jatiyo
Mukhti Council, Amena Mohsin, professor, department of International
Relations, Dhaka University and professor Anu Muhammad,
department of Economics, Jahangirnagar University took part
in the discussion. HWF president Sonali Chakma presided.
