Rangamati: Houses of indigenous people were reportedly set ablaze in Rangamati following a protest programme staged by local Juba League over the death of one of the party’s leaders at Langudu upazila in Rangamati on Friday afternoon.

The Rangamati district administrations banned public gathering by imposing section 144 after the incident.

Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Manzarul Mannan told NTV Online being informed about the arson attack, the authorities imposed section 144. The law and order situation of the area is now under control. Law enforcers took highest security measures to avoid further incidents.

The local people said Sadar union’s Juba League organising secretary Nurul Islam Nayon along with two other passengers started for Dighinala in Khagrachhari on Thursday morning.

Later in the afternoon, local people found his body near the Charmile are of Dighinala and called police.

Primarily, police could not identify the deceased. They put the body’s image on social networking site, Facebook, seeking the identity of the deceased. Later, Nayon’s family recognised him.

Nayon’s body was brought to his village Baittapara on Friday morning. A group of Bangalee settlers in a procession under the banner of Langadu dwellers marched to attend Nayon’s funeral prayer.

However, hearing news that miscreants torched house of a Bangalee settler, Marfat Ali in the upazila, the procession attacked on Langdu Upazila Janashanghati Shamiti’s office and houses of indigenous people.

No casualty was reported as sensing the unsteady condition residents of the area went to safe shelter on Thursday night.

Earlier, the Langdu upzila Juba League’s General Secretary Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said a criminal gang is conducting violence, abduction, and murder frequently in the hilly area. He suspected the gang is involved with the murder of this Juba League leader.

Demanding the speedy arrest of the murderer, the Juba League General Secretary said district and upazila Juba League will organise programme protesting the killing.

The Langdu police Officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Mominul Islam said police has started its investigation on the murder.

The Rangamati Juba League President Akbar Hossain Chowdhury and General Secretary Nur Mohammad Kajal in a statement demanded arrest and punishment for the people who are involved with the murder.

The Langdu Upazila Juba League also condemned and protest against the killing.