Bangladesh Army has issued a statement highlighting the ongoing tension in Khagrachari and Rangamati, warning that it could escalate into severe riots in the hill districts.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement called on the general public to maintain peace and harmony to prevent further escalation.
They have urged local leaders to assist law enforcement in calming the situation and have stated that proper investigations will be conducted to identify the actual perpetrators and take necessary legal actions.
How the violence erupted
The ISPR statement said that a youth named Md Mamun, 30, was killed in an incident related to motorcycle theft in Khagrachari district on Wednesday. Following this, the local police recovered the body and handed it over to the family after an autopsy.
In response to this incident, a protest march was held on Thursday afternoon from Dighinala College. When the procession crossed the Boalkhali market in Dighinala, some terrorists from the UPDF (main) attacked the marchers and fired 20-30 shots. In retaliation, angry protesters set several shops in Boalkhali market on fire.
“During the clashes, six individuals from both sides were injured and were sent for treatment at the Dighinala Upazila Health Complex and Khagrachari Sadar Hospital. Subsequently, an army patrol arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control, while the fire brigade and local residents helped extinguish the flames. Following these events, tensions spread across Khagrachari Sadar, Dighinala, Panchhari, and surrounding areas.”
Some groups with vested interests further exacerbated the situation by spreading rumors on social media. To quickly restore law and order in Khagrachari district, an emergency virtual meeting was convened led by the deputy commissioner, reads the statement.
It was decided that starting from 10pm on Thursday, joint patrols by the army, BGB, police, and Ansar forces would be conducted throughout Khagrachari Sadar, Dighinala, and Panchhari.
A patrol team from Khagrachari zone faced obstruction from an agitated crowd led by UPDF when they attempted to transfer a critically ill patient in the Shonirvor area of Khagrachari town. Eventually, UPDF terrorists opened fire on the army patrol, prompting the army to return fire in self-defense. Reports indicate that three people were killed and several others were injured during this exchange of gunfire.
In a related incident, in Panchhari of Khagrachari district, unruly individuals stopped several youths on motorcycles, attacked them, and beat them with sticks. The agitated crowd also vandalized the fire brigade office.
On Friday morning, the Hill Students Council, supported by the PCJSS (Parbatya Chittagong Jana Sanghati Samiti), gathered in the Rangamati district under the banner of the “Conflict and Discrimination-Free Hill Student Movement.”
During this time, 800-1,000 angry people marched toward the Banarupa area, vandalizing the mosque, Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, CNG auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, and several shops. Many individuals from both sides were injured in the chaos. In response to the situation, Section 144 was imposed in Rangamati district, the statement added.