Hill Voice, 9 November 2022, Special Correspondent: Tomorrow (10 November 2022) marks the 39th death anniversary of Manbendra Narayan Larma (M N Larma), the pioneer of the national awakening of the Jumma nation, the founder of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Association, former Member of Parliament and the great revolutionary leader and Jumma National Mourning Day.
On the occasion of celebrating the day with due dignity and in memory of MN Larma, various programs have been taken up in the capital Dhaka and different areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
On this occasion, like last year, a tribute, remembrance meeting, candle lighting and protest song program will be held at 3:00 pm at Bakultala of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University under the initiative of “National Committee of 39th Death Anniversary of Manabendra Narayan Larma”. At 3:00 pm, the program of the 39th death anniversary of Manabendra Narayan Larma will be inaugurated by placing wreaths on the portrait of the great leader. The National Committee for the 39th Death Anniversary of Manvendra Narayan Larma was formed with Professor Dr. Mesbah Kamal this year as the Convener and Hiron Mitra Chakma as the Member Secretary.
On the same day, the 39th death anniversary of the great leader and Jumma National Mourning Day will be observed at the Rangamati District Shilpakala Academy under the initiative of the Rangamati District Committee of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS). This time the slogan of this day has been decided – ‘Strengthen national unity and solidarity, resist all kinds of divisions and conspiracies of the vested interests, jump into the larger movement for the proper implementation of CHT Accord’. The program for the day includes – gathering at 7:30 am, Prabhatferi (morning procession) at 8:00 am, flower wreath laying at 9:00 am, condolences and remembrance meeting at 10:00 am and cadle lighting and balloon flying at 5:00 pm. .
Besides, it has been reported that various programs including discussions have been organized on the occasion of the day by the initiative of PCJSS in different upazilas and unions of Rangamati district and in different places of Khagrachari and Bandarban districts by various socio-cultural organizations and civil society.
It is to be noted that 39 years ago on 10 November 1983, in the late night, M N Larma, the undisputed beloved of the people of Jumma people, the best friend of the downtrodden, highly revered by all the hill-Bengali communities, was shot dead in a sudden armed attack by the politically ambitious, traitorous, divisive and ineffectual Giri-Prakash-Deben-Palash gang. Undisputedly, His tragic death caused an irreparable loss to the rights-seeking people of the world including the entire Jumma race.
In the same incident, M N Larma was martyred along with his elder brother Shuvendu Prabas Larma (Tufan), fellow soldier Aparna Charan Chakma (Saikat), Amar Kanti Chakma (Mishuk), Parimal Bikas Chakma (Ripon), Monimoy Dewan (Swagata), Kalyanmoy Khisa (Juni), Santosh Moy Chakma (Saumitra) and Arjun Tripura (Arjun).
MN Larma was born on 15 September 1939 in a prosperous village called Mahapuram (Mawrum) on the outskirts of Rangamati town. His younger brother Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma (Santhu Larma) took over the leadership of the PCJSS and the movement for self-determination of the Jumma people in his absence. In 1997, under the leadership of Santu Larma, the PCJSS signed the CHT Accord with the Government of Bangladesh. Their one and only sister Jyotiprabha Larma Minu also participated in the movement at one stage and served as the vice-president of Parbatya Chattagram Mahila Samiti.
