Report on rescue of 16 indigenous Tripura and Chakma children from Madrasa

On 2 January 2013 police rescued 16 indigenous Tripura children from a madrasa (Muslim education centre) named Abuzor Giffari Mosque Complex under Sabujbagh police station in Dhaka. The children were converted (to Islam) by force.  The children are from Rangamati district of Chittagong Hill Tracts and belong to indigenous Tripura and Chakma community.

Among them, the 11 children were handed over to their parents after signing a bond on 2 Jaunary. As no parents came up for five of the children, police decided to transfer them to a government safe home.

However, the 11 children (9 children belong to Tripura and 2 children belong to Chakma), who were handed over to their parents, went missing. They were believed to have again been taken to Madrassas by the collaborators.

It is learnt that the parents of 11 children were brought to Dhaka under the supervision of local collaborators and hence the parents were compelled to take back their children to the madrassas.

On the other, the 5 children, who were sent to the Victim’s Support Centre of Tejgaon police station in Dhaka, were handed over to their parents including Borendra Lal Tripura on 8-9 January 2013.

It is reported that all the children were taken from various villages of Bilaichari upazila in Rangamati district by the five brokers/collaborators namely (1) Dipak Tripura, (2) Hamajon Tripura, (3) Shuvamong, (4) Modhu Chandra and (5) Bindu Lal Chakma from Songrachari area of Farua union under Bilaichari upazila in Rangamati.

It is also learnt that they are backed by Islamic Foundation, Rangamati, Professor Dr Mohiuddin, Depertment of Islamic History, Chittagong University; retired Secretary (A Jamat Spokesperson) Mosiur Rahman; a Dhaka College student- Ashraf Hossai, and Abujor Gifari Madrasa Complex, Mirpur.

It is reported that another 138 students from Rangamati, 42 from Banderban and 6 from Khagrachari are in Pipeline.

The parents of 5 children said that they are living in extreme poverty. Most time they have to starve and passed their nights with in empty stomach. No development and well being is taken care in their village. So, when they received offer from aforesaid five brokers to send their children to schools, they agreed with them. As an agreement, they had to give finger print in some paper, but they did not know what was written there. They were also not aware that their children have been sent to madrasa. They even did not know what madrasa was.

It is reported that the process of converting the indigenous Jumma people started from 2004. They have targeted the illiterate and poor people from the remote areas to maintain secrecy and to avoid resistance as well as for the convenience to apply fraudulence. In all cases, they motivated the local people using some jobless and less literate Jumma brokers. The local brokers persuaded the parents saying that they would take their children to mission schools for free education and living, but they have actually supplied them to madrasas. As a precondition they took finger prints of the parents in some paper documents. The parents were not aware of what is written their.

5 children (rescued on 2 January 2013) who then sent to Moanghor orphanage in Rangamati:

  1. Sumola Tripura s/o Chandula Tripura and Osnati Tripura of Chonrachhari village, Farua union, Bilaichhari upazila, Rangamati district;
  2. Sunila Tripura, daughter of same as above;
  3. Reni Tripura d/o Late Ananda Tripura and Rongboity Tripura, address same as above;
  4. Robin Tripura s/o Chandula Tripura and Osnati Tripura;
  5. Moti Tripura s/o late Ananda Tripura and Rongboity Tripura.

11 children (rescued on 2 January 2013) who went missing after police handed over to parents (maybe sent to Madrasa again):

  1. Sujan Chakma, s/o Bindu Lal Chakma of Chonrachhari village, Farua union, Bilaichhari upazila, Rangamati district;
  2. Sohel Ckama, s/o same as above;
  3. Simla Tripura d/o Wakhiya Tripura and Khumbarti Tripura, address same as above;
  4. Pitor Tripura, s/o parents unknown;
  5. Kornajoy Tripura s/o Hamajon Tripura and Malarwng Tripura, address same as above;
  6. Obhraham Tripura, s/o Modhu Chandra Tripura and Mokhoti Tripura, address same as above;
  7. Senipoti Tripura, d/o same as above;
  8. Mayani Tripura d/o Shuvamong Tripura and Kaiseti Tripura, address same as above;
  9. Julima Tripura d/o same as above;
  10. Doikomo Tripura s/o same as above;
  11. Shigoram Tripura, s/o same as above.

Another 11 indigenous Tripura children rescued from Madrasas in Gazipur and Dhaka

In July 2012 another 11 indigenous Tripura children rescued from Madrasas in Gazipur and Dhaka. Of them, 8 children rescued from the Darul Huda Islami Madrasa of Mia Para in Gazipur district, a female child from a madrasa in Muhammadpur and two children rescued from Darul Huda Islami Madrasa of Gulshan in Dhaka.

It is reported that all the children were taken from various villages of Thanchi, Ruma and Lama upazila in Bandarban district in January to February 2012 by following brokers:
1)Andrew Tripura (Age 18 approx) ;
2)Baromoni Tripura and
3)Norbert Tripura Bandarban district.

It is reported that the parents had to pay Taka six thousand to 15 thousand to the brokers who told the parents that their children would be taken to a mission for education and this money would be spent for educating them in the mission hostel. But actually they were taken to various madrasas.

List of 11 Children (rescued in July 2012):

1.Shanti Chondro Tripura (Md. AbdurRahman), s/o Robihan Tripura from Shefru Para of Ruma upazila in Bandarban, 10 Years, Class IV;
2.Mathew Tripura (Md. Joshim) s/o Kongsholha Tripura from Boithuni Para of Ruma in Bandarban, 10 years, Class IV;
3.Joseph Tripura (Md. Masud) s/o Nokurang Tripura from Imajhon of Thanchi in Bandarban, 10 years, Class IV;
4.Dominic Tripura (Md. Hafiz Uddin) s/o Machondro Tripura from Durjodhon Para of Lama in Bandarban, 10 years, Class IV;
5.Simon Tripura (Md. Abu Hurera) s/o Atijon Tripura from Emmanuel Para of Tongkapoti in Bandarban, 9 years, Class IV;
6.Peter (Pitor) Tripura (Md. Bashir) s/o Rumajon Tripura, from Kiomong Headman Para of Thanchi in Bandarban, 8 years, Class II;
7.Reshmai Tripura (Abdullah) s/o Chondrion Tripura from Shepru Para of Bilaichori in Bandarban, 10 years, Class IV;
8.Juel Tripura (Abu Jafar) s/o Anonta Tripura from Kiomong Headman Para of Thanchi in Bandarban, 10 years, Class IV;
9.Shantona Tripura (Halima Begum) d/o Rumajohn Tripura from Kiomong Headman Para of Thanchi in Bandarban, 10 years, Class II;
10.Raymond Tripura (Md. Abdur Rahim) s/o Rajbahadur Tripura from Borothali Para of Ruma in Bandarban, 13 years, Class VI; and
Shushanto Tripura (Md. Abdul Bashir) s/o Atijon Tripura from Emmanuel Para of Tongkapoti in Bandarban, 12 years, Class VI.