Female NGO worker murdered in Dighinala

A female worker of a non-governmental ogrganisation was stabbed to death on 5 December by a group of Bengali settlers in Dighinala under Khagrachari district.

Joshi Chakma, a field worker of BRAC’s micro credit programme, was on her way to work when 4 – 5 settler Bengalees stood in her way at a place called West Kanthal Toli and stabbed her with a sharp knife leaving her fatally wounded. Later, the nearby villagers found her lying unconscious in a pool of blood. She succumbed to her injuries on way to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.

The miscreants took away Taka 28 thousand and three hundred from her.

The 28-year-old, wife of Tonoy Chakma, a government employee, was seven-months pregnant and was unable to run away or protect herself when attacked by the settler thugs.

Hill Women’s Federation, a front organisation of the United People’s Democratic Front, in a statement issued to the press condemned the incident and urged the government to bring the culprits to justice.

The organisation’s president Sonali Chakma and General Secretary Antarika Chakma also demanded a moratorium on all micro credit programmes of the NGOs including BRAC in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Based on HWF press release published in the Daily Ittefaq December 10, 2005.

Prepared by Press Section, Publications and Publicity Department, United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), December 10, 2005, Dhaka.