United People's Democratic Front
United People's Democratic Front ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট | |
|---|---|
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| Abbreviation | UPDF |
| President | Prasit Bikash Khisa |
| General Secretary | Rabi Shankar Chakma |
| Founded | 26 December 1998 |
| Headquarters | Chittagong Hill Tracts |
| Ideology | Autonomism |
| Colors | Blue |
| Seats in the Jatiyo Sangsad | 0 / 350 |
| Election symbol | |
| Bow and arrow | |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| updfcht | |
United People's Democratic Front (abbreviated as UPDF; Bengali: ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট; [junaɪʈeɖ pipɔls ɖemokræʈik frɔnʈ]) is a regional political party based in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Chakmas form the majority ethnic group in the party. The United People's Democratic Front claims to seek a fully autonomous Hill Tracts through peaceful and democratic means. However, many of its members are armed and have expressed violent Buddhist extremist behaviour.[citation needed]
Founding
[edit]The United People's Democratic Front was founded on 26 December 1998 at a conference in Dhaka. At the end of the conference, a five-member convening committee was formed with Prasit Bikash Khisha as its convener.[citation needed]
In November 2006, Prasit Bikash Khisha was elected to presidency by the party's central committee during a congress in Dhaka. In the same meeting, Rabi Shankar Chakma became the new general secretary.[citation needed]
Elections
[edit]The UPDF took part in the eighth national parliamentary elections in 2001 and though failed to win in any of the two seats in CHT it contested, the party received a considerable number of votes cast, to the surprise of many analysts.[citation needed]
History
[edit]In July 2021, the party's Joan Chakma led a contingent of Buddhist-Chakmas to Suandrapara, a village of the Bawm Christian convert community, where they issued threats and conducted two violent raids leading damaging a church.[1] Towards the end of the same month, four of the party's members were arrested for extortion.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Bangladeshi Christian villagers forced to flee after violent attacks by Buddhist extremists". Barnabas Fund. 2 August 2021.
- ^ Dhar, Bijoy (31 July 2021). "4 UPDF members arrested in Rangamati". Dhaka Tribune. Rangamati.
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