Khagrachhari Latest: Guimara Burning From Fires Set by Bengali Settlers, Countless Casualties Reported

Special Rapporteur

Communal violence is ongoing in Khagrachari following the gang rape of an eighth-grade hill girl by a Bengali settler and the subsequent reaction. The road blockade called in protest of the rape is causing a fire across Khagrachari.

Clashes broke out between the blockade supporters and settlers in various areas of the district headquarters since Saturday afternoon. Police dispersed them by lathicharge and firing tear gas shells. To control the situation, the administration has imposed Section 144 for an indefinite period in Khagrachari Municipality, Sadar Upazila and Guimara Upazila.

The army and police have been deployed at various important points in Khagrachari since Sunday morning, September 28. In addition, 7 platoons of BGB have been deployed at the district headquarters. Security forces have been questioning people moving at various points since morning. Meanwhile, shops in the city are closed. Many incidents of violence have occurred in different areas. Although the media has avoided the news of these incidents, they have surfaced on social media through pictures and videos.

In Guimaras, Bengali settlers attacked hill tribesmen in the presence of the army, looted houses and shops, hacked and injured many, and even set houses on fire. Several incidents of hill tribesmen being killed in army firing have been reported on social media.

It is learned that there were incidents of road blockade, vandalism, arson, burning on the roads and violence yesterday and today. Later on Saturday afternoon, Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker said in a press release that Section 144 will be in effect from 2 pm until further orders.

More than 2,000 tourists, who were stranded in Sajek due to morning and evening road blockades and violent situations, reached Khagrachhari town after 10:30 pm yesterday under the protection of the army. Later, they left Khagrachhari for their respective destinations by midnight.

On Saturday, during the morning and evening road blockade called by Jumma students, a chase and counter-chase occurred between two parties in the areas adjacent to Mahajan Para and Sadar Upazila Parishad in Khagrachhari. During this time, the two sides came face to face. At least 23 people were injured in the clash. Later, the district administration imposed Section 144 for an indefinite period to control the situation and protect lives and property.

Khagrachhari Civil Surgeon Md. Chaber said that at least 23 people were injured in the chase and counter-chase between the two sides. Of them, 21 have returned home after receiving primary treatment. Two are undergoing treatment at Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital. When asked about the number of casualties, he refused to comment.

Khagrachhari Police Superintendent Md. Arefin Jewel said, after Saturday afternoon, a chaotic situation arose between the two sides in the area adjacent to the upazila office. Later, brickbats were thrown and chases and counter-chases took place. The army, BGB and police are working jointly to control the situation. Later, the agitated parties were removed with sound grenades. We are working to prevent further incidents of violence.

Blockade underway in Khagrachari, fire in market in Guimaras

During the siege, Bengali settlers set fire to a market in Guimaras. Several shops in the market were burnt down in the fire. Several houses next to the market were also damaged in the fire.

The incident took place at around 1 pm on Sunday at Ramesu Bazar in Guimara Upazila. The market is about 100 yards away from the Chittagong-Khagrachari road. Meanwhile, videos and pictures of the arson have been circulated on social media, Facebook. In the video, shops in the market are seen burning in the fire. Locals said that most of the shopkeepers in the market are hill people.

After this incident, the situation in Guimara Upazila is tense. The supporters of the blockade are not on the road now, but they are in the area. There are patrols of law enforcement agencies throughout the area. Earlier in the afternoon, there was a clash between members of the law enforcement agencies and supporters of the blockade. Gunfire was heard at that time. At least 6 people were injured in the incident.

Local residents Mangsazai Marma and Kanjri Marma said that they were protesting peacefully on the road in front of the food warehouse in support of the blockade. At that time, law enforcement officers arrived and they had an argument. At one stage, law enforcement officers opened fire on them. Immediately after the shooting, people fled in all directions in fear. Then 20-25 people came and looted Ramesu Bazar and houses and set them on fire as they left. These people were accompanied by masked people. Along with shops and houses, many motorcycles were also set on fire.

Guimara Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Enamul Haque Chowdhury said, “There is a dispute between the hill people and the Bengalis over the blockade. There has also been a dispute with the law enforcement agencies. The situation is tense now. Details will be announced later. We are trying to normalize the situation.”

Due to the blockade program, traffic movement on the Chittagong-Khagrachari, Khagrachari-Rangamati and Khagrachari-Sajek roads is closed. In the morning, the blockaders demonstrated by burning tires and throwing tree trunks on the roads at different places in the district. The situation has been tense since this morning. Security forces have been seen at every intersection in the city. No shops have opened in and around the market. Security forces are questioning those who are going out for essential work.

Concerns of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti

The Parbatya Chittagong Jana Sanghati Samiti has expressed concern over this communal violence and called on everyone to remain calm.

The statement said that on September 23, a morning-evening blockade program was called by the Jumma student movement demanding the arrest of the rapists involved in the gang rape of a Jumma girl, an eighth grade student in the Singinala area of ​​Khagrachhari, and the maximum punishment. During the program, a group of Bengalis attacked the picketers. At one point, when the protest spread to the Khagrachhari municipality, a chase and chase between Jumma and Bengalis occurred.

The incident turned into communal violence at one point. In this, the agitated Bengalis tried to vandalize the Jumma shops in Mahajanpara and Khejurbagan and several youths from both sides were seriously injured. Later, when the situation showed signs of deteriorating, the Khagrachari district administration imposed Section 144. Following this, the police, BGB and the army went to the field and removed the agitated Pahari and Bengalis from the road. Although the situation calmed down for some time, at 7 pm, there was another incident of brick-throwing between the Jumma and Bengalis near the Young Buddhist Vihar and at one point, two Jumma youths were seriously injured by the sharp blows of the Bengalis. They were admitted to the Khagrachari Sadar Hospital in a bloody state.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti (CHTJS) has said in a statement that the repeated rapes are happening and the criminals are getting away with it because the accused rapists in the gang rape cases in the Chittagong Hill Tracts have not been arrested and given exemplary punishment. The organization has strongly demanded the prompt arrest of the accused rapists in all the rape cases that have taken place in the hills so far, including the recent rape case in Singinala, and legal action to be taken.

At the same time, it strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over the communal violence. It also seeks the proper attention of the administration to ensure that similar communal violence does not recur.

Keeping in view the ongoing political reality of the country and the holy autumn Durga Puja, the Parbatya Chittagong Jana Sanghati Samiti is calling on both sides to maintain communal harmony between Jummas and Bengalis and to display calm, utmost patience and restraint.

Government working to control situation in Khagrachari: Home Affairs Advisor

Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Advisor Supradeep Chakma has met with the concerned parties to control the law and order situation in Khagrachhari, the hilly region of the country, said Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. The Home Affairs Advisor gave this information in response to questions from journalists after the core committee meeting on Sunday.

At that time, the Home Affairs Advisor said that after the gang rape of a schoolgirl, the legal situation in Khagrachari went out of control. However, at 10 am today, the Advisor on Chittagong Hill Tracts held a meeting with the concerned parties to control the situation there.

A meeting was held at the conference room of the Khagrachari district administration with people from different walks of life in the afternoon. The event was presided over by Deputy Commissioner ABM Iftekhar Uddin Khandaker and Advisor on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Supradeep Chakma was present as the chief guest. He said, “One party is trying to take advantage of the unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. I urge all ethnic groups to live in harmony.”

Background

A tribal girl was raped in Khagrachari Sadar on Tuesday night. The girl was gang-raped while returning from her teacher’s class at around 9 pm, her father said. The girl was rescued from a field in an unconscious state around 11 pm.

The girl’s father filed a case with Sadar Police Station early Wednesday morning. The case statement states that the girl was gang-raped on her way back from a private job around 9 pm on Tuesday.

The girl’s father said, “My daughter was admitted to the district headquarters hospital after being found unconscious. She is still undergoing treatment there. My daughter has stated that three people were involved in the rape.”

Jumma students and people started protesting in the Singinala area of ​​Khagrachari Sadar on Wednesday demanding punishment for those involved in the incident. On their call, a half-day road blockade was observed on Thursday. The blockade program was announced from the rally. The UPDF-supported Pahari Chhatra Parishad, Hill Women’s Federation and Democratic Youth Forum have expressed solidarity with the Jumma students and people’s movement.

There was also an incident of the army unjustly detaining a student, Ko Ukyunu Marma, who was peacefully protesting. The detained Ukyunu Marma is the general secretary of the Bangladesh Marma Students Council (BMSC), Khagrachhari district branch. Later, in the face of public backlash, he was detained and released after questioning.