The Prothomalo(Bangladesh), 6 October 2024

The Sammilito Bhikkhu Sangha of the Chittagong Hill Tracts have announced notto celebrate the ‘kothin chibor dan’, the main religious festival of theBuddhist community, this year.

The orders of monks have made the decision citing the “ongoing situation inthe Chittagong Hill Tracts and lack of security” in the area as the reasons.

The announcement was made at a media conference at Maitree Bouddha Bihar’sdeshnalaya (a place where religious sermons are delivered) in Rangamati townSunday.

The month-long ‘kothin chibor dan’ was scheduled to begin in the first weekof November.

The Sammilito Bhikkhu Sangha of the Chittagong Hill Tracts organised thepress conference where Parbatya Bhikkhu Sangha president ShraddhalankarMahathera read out a written statement.

Sadhanananda Mahasthabir Bana Bhante’s disciple and vice-president of theSangha Sourajagat Mahathera, general secretary Tejapriya Mahathera, ParbatyaBhikkhu Parishad’s Bandarban chapter vice-president Gyanvamsha Mahathera andTriratna Bhikkhu Association president Agnashree Mahathera and others attendedthe media conference.

It was alleged in the conference that the incidents of violence took placein the hills due to direct and indirect help of the law enforcement agencies.No trial was held for any one of the communal attacks that took place untiltoday.

It was also said in the conference that investigation committees are formedin the incidents only in name and the investigations do not see the light ofthe day. The Buddhist monks and the bhikkhu sangha are worried as they do nothave trust in the administration.

Due to this lack of security and uncertainty, Parbatya Bhikkhu Sanghapresident Shraddhalankar Mahathera announced not to organise the kothin chibordan festival at all the monasteries in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

In the written statement, Shraddhalankar Mahathera said over 100 shops werelooted, vandalised and set on fire and killings took place in communal clashesin Khagrachhari and Rangamati from 18 to 20 September and on 1 October. Fourhill people were killed in the clashes. Besides, sculptures of Buddha werevandalised and charity boxes were looted.

Speaking about this, deputy commissioner Md. Mosharraf Hossain Khan toldProthom Alo, “We have heard about the Buddhist monks’ decision not to celebratethe kothin chibor dan festival. The district administration is set to hold ameeting with them tomorrow, Monday. We will hear what they say there. The lawand order situation is normal, we think.”