Raids spark panic in Gondamara

Panic has gripped the locals of Gondamara union in Banshkhali upazila as police continued to raid the area for the third consecutive day since Monday.

Locals claimed that the raids were being conducted to foil their movement against the move to install a coal-fired power plant there.

Police, however, claimed that they were conducting the drives to arrest the accused in different cases and recover illegal arms in the upazila.

Villagers alleged that a good number of police vehicles patrolled Gondamara union yesterday.

Besides, police checkpoints were being set up at Time Bazar in Shil Kup, Harun Bazar in Saral and Bangla Bazar in Chambal, virtually confining the villagers, they claimed.

Other than children and very elderly people, most male members in the area are now on the run fearing arrest. The villagers are also avoiding the main routes to go to the upazila Sadar or Chittagong city, claimed villagers.

“No one is paying heed to our problems. What is going on in the union? They [police] have turned the whole union into a jail. Now, no one can go outside the union,” claimed Abu Ahmed, a close aide of Liakat Ali, convener of the Committee to Protect Habitat and Graveyard.

“Police are raiding the area because the people are against the power plant,” he added.

Wishing anonymity, a teacher in Gondamara said, “Now we are living in fear. Police are conducting drives in our villages. Failing to arrest the male members, they [police] arrested a 75-year-old man [Liakat's father]. They are also filing new cases against us.”

Locals fear that the proposed power plant would displace them, cause immense environmental damage and hurt their livelihood.

One Abdur Rahim alleged that the administration had kept the villagers confined to their houses. Except for those working in favour of S Alam Group, which is setting up the power plant, no one was going to the upazila Sadar from the union, he claimed.

Contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) Abdul Awal said, “We are not conducting the drives only in Gondamara. We are conducting the raids in all unions of the upazila to recover illegal arms.”

“Police already conducted drives in Saral and other places. The checkpoints have been set up on other unions as well to arrest the accused in different cases. Why are they [villagers] afraid of going to the upazila?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Liakat's father Hazi Dudu Miah, who was picked up from his house at Gondamara on Monday, was yet to be produced before court although 24 hours had passed.

Dudu Miah was undergoing treatment at Banshkhali Upazila Heath Complex, said medical sources.

After his treatment, he would be shown arrested in a case, said a police source.

Banshkhali Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Md Alamgir said everything would be done as per rules.

On Monday, locals barricaded a road leading to Liakat's house in Pashchim Gondamara as his father was being taken to Banshkhali Police Station.

Later, police dispersed the locals by using sound grenades and tear gas canisters that left four people injured. Police claimed to have recovered two firearms from Liakat's house during the drive.

Following the incident, an arms case was lodged against Liakat with Banshkhali Police Station.

On May 9, a probe committee formed by the Chittagong district administration to investigate the April 4 incident mentioned in its report that Liakat instigated the locals against the coal-based power plant.

On April 4, four people were killed and 30 others wounded during a clash between locals and law enforcers over installation of the power plant.

Following the incident, over 3,000 people, including Liakat Ali, were sued in three cases -- two over murder and one over assault on police.