NEW DELHI: Representatives of Chakma organisations in India have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to downgrade diplomatic ties with Bangladesh following the organised killing of hill tribes by the Bangladesh Army.
"The indigenous hill people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been killed, their properties burnt by the Bangladesh Army and illegal plain settlers belonging to the Muslim community since September 19th," reads the letter addressed to PM Modi on Friday.
The representatives of Chakmas who have signed the letter include Suhas Chakma, Nirupam Chakma, Rasik Mohan Chakma, Bimal Chakma, Gautam Chakma, Pritimoy Chakma and Ashutosh Chakma.
"In order to drive out hill tribes on September 19, over 100 houses and shops have been burnt by the Bangladesh Army accompanied by people from plains. At least nine people were killed," reads the letter.
The Bangladesh Army fired indiscriminately at these tribals. Details of the people who died and the establishments that were gutted have been listed in the letter.
"Given these organised attacks on the religious minorities and indigenous hill tribes, we, the Chakma representatives of India, urge you, PM Modi, not to have any dialogue with chief caretaker of the interim government in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus, and downgrade diplomatic relations until the lives of hill tribes and minorities are protected and the killings by Bangladesh Army is stopped," reads the letter.
Around 1090 houses, business establishments and places of worship of these minority communities have been plundered between August 5th and 20th.
PM Modi will be in the US this weekend to attend the Quad Summit (September 21) followed by the Summit of the Future at the UNGA, New York on September 23.
According to reports from Bangladesh, Prof Yunus had sent a request to meet PM Modi in New York. However, PM Modi will not be meeting him, though he will have bilateral meetings with other world leaders, say official sources.