Violence in Ramu: 11 years on, justice still pending
Eleven years on, victims of the communal attack on the Buddhist community in Ramu of Cox's Bazar are still waiting for justice.
In late September 2012, attackers unleashed violence on the minority community on the pretext that a Buddhist man, Uttam Barua, demeaned Islam on Facebook.
A subsequent investigation by The Daily Star found that the Facebook account of Uttam Barua may have been hacked to post a photoshopped picture to create the ground for the attack.
On September 20, the attackers set fire to Buddhist temples, vandalised and looted more than 50 houses in Ramu. They also attacked Mushurikhola crematorium at Khurushkul village in Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila and tried to attack the houses of Hindus in Kharulia village.
The following day, they attacked and ransacked five Buddhist temples in Ukhiya upazila and damaged two Hindu temples in Palongkhali union of the upazila. They also torched and vandalised Buddhist houses in Hoaikong union of Teknaf.
As many as 18 cases were filed following the coordinated attacks. All of the cases are still under trial, with all accused on bail.
No significant progress has taken place in the proceedings of cases, which had been moved before the High Court and lower courts seeking justice, as the lawyers concerned have not taken extensive initiatives to get the matters settled.
It is still uncertain when the HC will deal with the probe reports, which in 2013 had identified the attackers and inaction of nonchalant local officials responsible for the communal attacks.
Contacted, Advocate Md Faridul Alam, the public prosecutor of Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge's Court, said all the 18 criminal cases remain pending as the witnesses don't appear before the courts on scheduled dates.
Besides, the victims have little interest in pursuing the cases as the government built them new homes and pagodas, he told The Daily Star.
Investigators pressed charges in some cases, while investigations into some other cases are yet to be completed, he added.
Replying to a query, Faridul Alam, who is an inhabitant of Cox's Bazar, said Uttam Barua remains missing since the incident.
On October 2 and 3, 2012, Supreme Court lawyers Md Eunus Ali Akond and Jyotirmoy Barua separately filed two writ petitions with the HC, seeking actions against the perpetrators and the local administrative officials who were negligent in preventing the incidents.
Following the petitions, two separate inquiries were conducted into the incidents in line with HC orders.
The HC is yet to hold the final hearing on the petitions and deliver any verdict on them due to reconstitution of its bench and apparent lack of willingness of the lawyers concerned in moving the petitions before the court.
Akond told The Daily Star that he will not take any initiative for hearing of his petition, as no bench of the HC wanted to hold hearing of the matter.
Barua could not be reached for his comments.