Hill Voice, 6 July 2020, Rangamati: It has been alleged that a sepoy named Shudipta Chakma, who was undertraining in the 2020/2nd batch of the army, has been removed from his job, on the pretext that his father is involved with the Jana Samhati Samiti.
It is learnt that Shudipta Chakma is a son of a very poor lower middle class family of Chiberega village in Gulshakhali union of Longadu upazila under Rangamati district. He passed SSC from Longadu and got admission in higher secondary to Rangamati Government College.
While studying in the first year of HSC of Rangamati Government College, he received a recruitment notice in the Bangladesh army in 2019 and applied for the sepoy post with enthusiasm.
After passing all the exams for the post, he was recruited as a soldier in the army on 2 May 2019. However, after waiting for 6 months for training, he was taken to Kadirabad cantonment of Natore district of Rajshahi division on 24 January 2020 for the training of 2020/2nd batch.
After successfully completing 6 months of training in the 2020/2nd batch, “the recruit was discharged from the job due to unrecommended police verification as his father was involved in the JSS organization”.
Shudipta Chakma was handed over to Dhiman Chakma as the guardian of the recruit with the signature of the letter of acknowledgment to the effect that “on the eve of his discharging, on 01 July 2020, I received him in a healthy body and accordingly signed the letter”.
Thus, there was a huge reaction on social media about the dismissal of the son from his job, mere alleging that the father was involved in the Jana Samhati Samiti. Many reacted by calling it the racist behavior of the military and the government.
Many are of opinion that Jana Samhati Samiti is not a banned organization. The government has signed the historic Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord with Jana Samhati Samiti. The government is implementing this Agreement. The government did not cancel the Accord signed with Jana Samhati Samiti or declare Jana Samhati Samiti as an illegal organization.
Many then questioned how the youth was sacked because of his father’s involvement in the Jana Samhati Samiti. And many have questioned why the son was encompassed with his father’s political affiliation.
Moni Shankar Chakma wrote on his Facebook wall, “The Bangladesh army is at the forefront of their role in safeguarding the pride and sovereignty of our country. In an independent state, such discrimination in such a disciplined and consecrated force cannot be desirable for anyone.”
A person named Asraful Islam commented on his Facebook, “It’s sad, how can this be. It wouldn’t have been so difficult if he was discharged before going to training.”
Sukhi Moy Chakma said, “If there are children of other party members in the army except Awami League, will they also discharge from their jobs? Bangladesh army is an ideal force, but it is not possible to accept such behavior. Why should a son be punished for political affiliation of the father? The officer in the army who did this is not a human being.”
Another Niron Chakma Niron, commented, “Although the son’s father is involved in the JSS, the son is not involved. I don’t think his father is involved in the JSS either, because we are the resident in the same village.”
