Christmas Eve arson attack on Tripura Christian's homes

The attack in a settlement in the Bandarban area, south-eastern Bangladesh, while the inhabitants had gone to a Christmas celebration in a church in a nearby village. They had been victims of extortion demands in the past weeks. The incident is part of a long-standing pattern of oppression against the indigenous hill communities in the three hill districts.

Bandaran (AsiaNews) - A fire engulfed the houses of 17 Christian families of the Tripura ethnic group in the area of Sarai Tangojhiri, in the upazila lama of Bandarban, in southeastern Bangladesh, late in the evening of 24 December.

The villagers claim that the fire was an act of arson, possibly related to extortion demands made earlier by some thugs.

The tragic incident occurred in the Notun Betchhara Tripura neighbourhood, while the villagers had gone to attend Christmas celebrations at a nearby church in the Tangojhiri area, as their neighbourhood does not have its own church. When they returned, they discovered their houses reduced to ashes.

The fire destroyed all their belongings, including furniture, solar panels, household utensils, clothes and important documents. The displaced families were left homeless and took shelter under the open sky in the charred remains of their neighbourhood.

Villagers reported seeing the flames around 1am, but could not identify the perpetrators, as the neighbourhood was uninhabited at the time. Of the 18 families residing in the area, only one house was spared from the flames, as its occupants were present and able to deter the attackers.

Residents claim that this attack is part of a long-standing pattern of oppression against the indigenous hill communities in the three hill districts.

Influential groups are often involved in these incidents, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. The victims demand justice and immediate support to rebuild their lives.

The executive officer of Lama Upazila, Rupayan Deb, inspected the burnt-out neighbourhood and distributed relief materials, including blankets, rice, pulses and other necessities to the affected families. According to residents, the Sarai Union Parishad also provided some aid to the victims.

Paisapru Tripura, the karbari (village head) of the Purba-Betchhara district, explained that the district was established only seven months ago by families who moved in from neighbouring areas.

Since the settlement is newly established, it has no church, which prompted the residents to leave their houses locked and attend Christmas celebrations at a church in the neighbouring Tangojhiri area. During their absence, arsonists struck, leaving families devastated.

Paisapru Tripura revealed that, a month earlier, a group of individuals had visited the neighbourhood and demanded a ransom of 50,000 taka (about EUR 400).

They had also threatened to evict the residents if the ransom was not paid. The residents suspect that the same group was responsible for the fire in the neighbourhood.

In connection with the incident, a complaint was filed on Wednesday afternoon by Gangang Moni Tripura, a 72-year-old resident of Purba Betchhara Para. The case cited seven persons along with several unidentified accused.

The police launched an operation the same evening and arrested four suspects, who will be presented in court on Thursday. Among those arrested are Stephen Tripura (50) and Moishoy May Tripura (48) of Purba Betchhara Para, Joating Tripura (52) of Tangojhiri Para and Md. Ibrahim (65) of Tongjhiri Para. The victims estimate the damage suffered at about Tk. 15,00,000. (12,000 Euro).

The head of the Lama police station, Md. Enamul Haque, confirmed the arrests, while Additional Superintendent of Police Hossain Mohammad Raihan Kazemi emphasised that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other accused.

He said the incident may have been fuelled by internal conflicts within the local Tripura community, exacerbated by the settlement of new families in the area.

Hemanta Corraya, general secretary of the Bangladesh Christian Association, called for thorough investigations, swift justice and adequate compensation for the victims. He also urged the administration to provide the necessary relief materials and ensure the safety of the affected community to avoid future incidents.