According to local reports, the violence was triggered after a 12-year-old Marma girl was allegedly raped by three Bengali youths.
Violence broke out over the weekend in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of Bangladesh, leaving at least three members of indigenous communities dead and dozens injured, as protests over a rape allegation spiralled into clashes between tribal people, Bengali settlers, and security forces.
The unrest centered in Khagrachhari district where demonstrators protesting the alleged rape of a tribal schoolgirl clashed with law enforcement.
Trigger: rape allegation and protest
According to local reports, the violence was triggered after a 12-year-old Marma girl was allegedly raped by three Bengali youths on September 23 while returning home from tuition in the Singinala area. A case was filed following the incident, and the police, with army assistance, arrested one suspect, Shayan (Shoyon) Shil, who was remanded by a court soon after.
Protesters under the banner of Jumma Chhatra Janata enforced a dawn-to-dusk road blockade, demanding justice and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. Despite that, Section 144 (a prohibition on large gatherings) was in place in Khagrachhari Municipality of the CHT.
Clashes, fatalities, destruction
On September 28, violence erupted during the blockade. Gunfire and exchanges of stone-pelting were reported. At least three indigenous (tribal) people were killed and several others were wounded. The bodies were brought to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital, where they await autopsy.
Security forces were among the injured. The home ministry said 13 army personnel, including a major, sustained injuries, along with three policemen, including the officer-in-charge of the local police station.
In the Ramesu Bazar area, shops, houses, vehicles, and even motorcycles – many belonging to indigenous residents – were looted and set ablaze during the unrest. Estimates suggest around 100 shops and houses were torched. Witnesses claimed attackers looted goods and used machetes, then set fire to buildings.
Security forces and official response
In response to the eruption of violence, the government deployed additional military and police forces to the affected hill districts. Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) units were also mobilised to contain further escalation.
Late on Sunday night, the Bangladesh Army issued an official statement. It claimed that United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) and affiliated organisations had been actively organizing protests and instigating communal tensions in the region. The army alleged that these groups had been trying to incite violence by coercing women and schoolchildren to participate in subversive activities, aiming to destabilize the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
The Army also linked the present unrest to a past incident: the killing of a motorcyclist named Mamun in September 2024, and claimed that anniversary events organized by UPDF triggered renewed tensions with security forces.
Meanwhile, Home Adviser (Retd) Lt Gen Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the government was actively trying to contain the crisis. He warned that stringent legal actions would be taken against those spreading rumours via social media. He also noted that the Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs adviser convened meetings with relevant parties to deescalate the situation.
The home ministry expressed “deep sorrow” over the incident, and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice. In a statement, it urged affected communities to remain calm while investigations were under way.
Rights bodies demand probe, protests intensify
Human rights, cultural, and political organisations in Bangladesh have condemned the violence and called for immediate, impartial investigations. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) urged authorities to explain why local administration and police failed to prevent the eruption of violence in such a sensitive region. The Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council also demanded prompt arrests, compensation for victims, and protection for affected communities.
In addition, 84 women’s rights activists under the banner “Naribadi” issued a statement demanding swift judicial action in the rape case. They pointed out that over the past year, multiple indigenous women in Khagrachhari have been victims of sexual violence, and often their demands for justice were met with reprisals.
Protesters have said the response of state machinery raises questions of complicity or selective inaction. As one comment from TIB put it: “Attempts to normalise the rape of indigenous women are not new.”
Crisis spreads: blockade extended to Rangamati
The conflict has begun to spill over beyond Khagrachhari. A blockade in Khagrachhari has now been extended to the neighbouring hill district of Rangamati. All tourism in the three hill districts – Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Bandarban – has been suspended amid fear of further unrest.
The authorities have warned that movement will be closely monitored, and efforts are underway to prevent further disruptions to transport and commerce.
Historical fault lines, unresolved grievances
The Chittagong Hill Tracts region has long been a flashpoint of tension between indigenous communities (often referred to as “Jumma” tribes) and Bengali settlers. Historically, land disputes, displacement, and cultural marginalization have fuelled friction. Past episodes of violence in the hills led to large-scale displacement and serious questions over the protection of minority rights.
Observers caution that without credible, transparent justice and meaningful reconciliation, such flare-ups will recur. Rights organisations have consistently called for greater protection of indigenous rights, inclusive governance, and accountability for state actors.
