Ukhia’s Daroga Bazar Cremation Ground and Durga Temple Development and Management Committee on Sunday expressed anger over the vandalism of the boundary wall of the Daroga Bazar Central Maha Shmashan, demanding reconstruction of the damaged wall and legal action against those responsible.

The committee has announced that it will refrain from celebrating the upcoming Durga Puja if visible progress is not made on the demands by October 8.

The announcement was made at a press conference at the Ukhia Press Club auditorium. Ratan Kanti Dey, general secretary of the committee and a journalist, read out a written statement.

According to the statement, the bodies of members of Ukhia’s Hindu community have been cremated at the Daroga Bazar Central Maha Shmashan for more than 200 years. The committee claimed that the land occupied by the cremation ground is recorded as the government khas land under RS and BS Khatian No. 1.

The committee said local residents learned around 10am on September 15 that more than 15 feet of the east-west boundary wall on the southern side of the cremation ground had been demolished during the night.

They claimed the vandalism caused damage worth around 150,000 taka and alleged that the wall was deliberately demolished with the intention of grabbing the cremation ground’s land.

According to the committee leaders, the matter was reported to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and the officer-in-charge (OC) of Ukhia Police Station. The OC visited the site on the evening of September 16, while the UNO inspected it the following morning. Written complaints were later submitted to the police station and the UNO’s office.

At the press conference, five people were named and accused of involvement in demolishing the boundary wall. They are Sahab Uddin (65), Moslem Uddin (55), Tunu (52), Tarequl Islam Rifat (25), and Zahedur Rahman (22). The committee also alleged that another four to five unidentified people were involved.

The committee leaders alleged that despite considerable time having passed since the incident, no visible legal action had been taken against those involved.

They said the incident was not merely a case of vandalising a wall, but also concerned the security of a historic cremation ground and religious structures. They demanded an impartial investigation, legal action against those responsible and the prompt reconstruction of the damaged boundary wall.

The committee announced a three-point programme at the press conference to press for its demands.

As the first step, a memorandum will be submitted to the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner through the Ukhia UNO on October 5.

If the demands are not met by October 8, the Daroga Bazar Puja Celebration Council will refrain from celebrating the upcoming Durga Puja.

If the demands still remain unmet, a human chain and protest rally will be held at Ukhia Station on October 10, after which further programmes will be announced.

Committee adviser Master Mukunda Prasad Rudra, president Mridul Aich, executive member and lawyer Rabindra Das Rabi, Dipak Mallik, Kajal Kumar Sen, vice-president Ratan Dewanji, chief priest Haradhan Chakraborty, Daroga Bazar Puja Celebration Council president Utpal Biswas, general secretary Kajal Biswas, Badal Kar and Master Sanjay De were present at the press conference.