SM Ramzan Ali, Bandarban

In the face of torture and threats by the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), 11 Bam community families have taken shelter in Thanchi Upazila Sadre Model Government Primary School in Bandarban.

32 members of 11 families reached Thanchi Sadar on Sunday (May 28) at around 12 noon . Among them 10 men, 13 women and 9 children.

The upazila administration has arranged for them to stay and eat in the shelter camp. All 11 families are known to be residents of Ruma Upazila No. 3, Remakri Prangsa Union, Ward No. 6, Baklai Para.

According to the victim and the administration, they have been staying in Baklai Para, a place between Kuki Chin and law enforcement forces. Besides, there is more movement of Kuki Chin members through their neighborhoods. Terrified by this, they have been running in the forest for a long time.

They did not get the cooperation of different quarters more than once in this matter. Finally, last Saturday, when the former upazila chairman Khamlai Mro was contacted, with his help, the villagers came to Thanchi Sadar and took shelter in the Model Government Primary School.

Baklai neighborhood head (businessman) Thangliat Bom 98 of the shelter camp said, there were a total of 37 families in our neighborhood. Due to Kukichin National Front (KNF) violence and army operations 6 months ago, 26 families were displaced and took shelter in different places.

We, the 11 families, used to escape to the Zoom House in the hills during the day. At night, I used to go again with the food to cook for the children, thus I have been spending the last 9 months from October 2022 to May 2023 without much sleep.

Rolrem Bom of the shelter camp said, "We are requesting to keep all our family's domestic ducks, chickens, cows, goats, goats, pigs, paddy, and houses in the shelter camp arranged by the administration of Thanchi Sadar until the situation calms down.

Jawaramtong Bom, the assistant teacher of Baklai Para Government Primary School of the asylum camp, said that the school has been closed since October 2022, and there are no boys or girls. It was not right to eat and drink sometimes at home, sometimes in the forest.

Upazila executive officer UNO Muha: Abul Mansoor said that Thanchi Model will remain in the government primary school until the situation calms down.

He said, 11 families who fled are residents of Ruma Upazila No. 3 Remakri Prangsa Union No. 6 Ward, Baklai Para. As long as they stay in the shelter, the administration will provide them with all kinds of assistance.