ALIKADAM, BANDARBAN: Members of Mro National Party (MNP), an armed group of Bandarban hill district, started returning to normal life through surrendering their arms to the government security forces.

Through the surrender of firearms Thursday noon, Alikadam upazila of Bandarban witnessed the end of 5-year’s clash.

A group of youths formed the Mro National Party in 2010 with the aim of changing their fate based on its own ideology and protect the lands of Mro ethnic community.

Till date, at least 25 leaders-activists, including MNP founder Menrum Mro second in command Pale Mro, have been killed in infighting.

Though the party was founded to stop grabbing lands of Mro community by Bangalis and settle the local problems, preaching ‘Crama’ religion, actually they engaged in killings, abduction, extortion and other criminal activities in different upazilas of the district.

With slogan of ‘Communal Harmony in Bandarban’, the government has taken several programs to develop the standard of lifestyle and boost up the security of the region.

Local representatives assured of providing all-out cooperation to the MNP members, who have surrendered their arms.

State Minister for CHT affairs ministry Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, 24-infantry GOC and Chittagong region area commander major General Shafiqur Rahman and Zila Parishad chairman, among others, played pivotal role in the latest development.

At least 79 MNP activists surrendered their arms to Bangladesh Army Thursday.

The Mro community has been living in the south-eastern hills of Bangladesh for several hundreds of years.

‘Crama’ is a new religion of indigenous Mro (also called as Murong) which is introduced by Manley Mro in 1984.

The religion is now working as spiritual and philosophical catalyst for change in Mro community and leading as a tool for change of their socio-cultural life.

BDST: 1531 HRS, NOV 05, 2015
RS/RR