Two female leaders of United Peoples Democratic Front or UPDF have been reported missing for five days since their abduction in Rangamati.
“We and other law enforcing agencies are conducting an operation to rescue them. But, it is difficult to trace someone in this remote hill tracts region,” Satyajit Chowdhury, Kotwali Police Station OC, told bdnews24.com on Friday.
Monty Chakma, general secretary of UPDF affiliate Hill Women’s Federation, and Doyasona Chakma, general secretary of the Federation’s Rangamati unit, were abducted from a UPDF hostel on Mar 18.
UPDF blamed the newly formed group ‘UPDF-Ganatantrik’ for the incident.
Niran Chakma, a UPDF spokesperson, also alleged the newly formed group killed five UPDF activists within three months.
The UPDF-Ganatantrik has denied the allegations.
“We are not engaged in murder and abduction. We have no connection with these. None of our activists is involved in these incidents,” Tapan Jyoti Chakma, the president of the newly-formed group, said.
Brishadhan Chakma, the father of Doyasona, has started a case against 19 people, including Tapan and Shaktiman Chakma, a vice-president of Parbatya Chattagram Janasnghati Samiti (MN-Larma), over the abductions.
Shaktiman denied the accusation, saying the conflict between UPDF and the newly formed organisation led to the abductions.
The abductors took away Monti and Doya at gunpoint and took them into a jungle near the Rangamati-Khagrachharhi road, Brishadhan said in the case.
He said the abductors also attacked the house of Dharma Sing Chakma, president of Democratic Youth Forum's Rangamati unit, in Kutukchharhi and Dharma suffered bullet injuries as the criminals opened fire.
UPDF activists demonstrated in Rangamati and Khagrachharhi, blocking the roads last Wednesday.
They demanded Monty and Doyasona be rescued, and their abductors duly punished.