Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka
Dhaka, Sep 29: At least three people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday as violent clashes erupted in southeastern Bangladesh’s hill districts between aboriginal tribesmen and the settler Bengali community. The unrest followed the alleged gang rape of an eighth-grade tribal girl in Khagrachhari district earlier this week.
Police confirmed the deaths of three men but did not provide further details. Witnesses and residents reported that both sides set fire to homes and businesses, escalating tensions despite heightened security measures. The violence first broke out in Khagrachhari district headquarters, where tribal people, mainly from the Chakma and Marma communities, enforced roadblocks with burning tyres and debris. Authorities imposed movement restrictions and banned rallies under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), but the measures failed to contain the unrest.
The three fatalities were reported from Guimara, 36 kilometres south of Khagrachhari town, even as patrols by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police, and military personnel tried to maintain order. The district administration described a “curfew-like situation,” with residents staying indoors for safety.
The girl, allegedly attacked while returning from private tuition, was found unconscious by her parents and neighbours and was treated at a local hospital. Police have arrested a Bengali teenager suspected to be one of the perpetrators and he is under six-day remand for investigation.
Thirteen army personnel and three policemen were injured during the clashes, according to Bangladesh’s home ministry, which issued a statement expressing regret over the casualties. Authorities pledged swift legal action and urged calm among local residents.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), home to over a dozen mostly Buddhist tribal communities, had witnessed a two-decade-long insurgency until a 1997 peace deal ended armed conflict over regional autonomy. Sporadic violence, however, has continued due to factional disputes among tribal groups, including PCJSS and United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF).
The administration has banned rallies and restricted organized movements to prevent further escalation, while a temporary ban on tourists in the CHT remains in place amid ongoing tensions.