Hill Voice, 9 January 2024, Rangamati: It has been alleged the army personnel blasphemously behaved at a Buddhist temple site in Balukhali Union of Rangamati Sadar Upazila.

According to local sources, the irreverent incident took place in 4 to 7 January, in 2024.

It is learnt that a joint army patrol group numbering 35/40 personnel- led by a captain and a Subedar from Rangamati sadar army zone and Subalong army camp of Barkal upazila- stationed at Badalchari Govt Primary School of Badalchari village of Balukhalli Union around 3 pm. In the evening, they left the school took position at Badalchari Janakalyan Buddhist Bihara premises. The building of the Buddhist monastery is under construction. Nearly, a month ago, the villagers inaugurated the work in presence of Bhikkhusagha (in association of monks).

The villagers alleged that the army personnel have been staying in the under-construction building site for four days. Meanwhile, army personnel intentionally pollute the environment by calling the azaan through a sound box on the Bihara premises and defecate in the open spaces around the Bihara, which is tantamount to irreverent to Buddhism and the pious villagers.

On January 8, 2024, the day after the National Assembly elections, the army personnel returned their respective army camps.