A total of 40 families of the Marma community from Mulpi Para of Bandarban's Ruma upazila have fled the village in fear of attacks by the separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).
They took shelter in the Marma Welfare Association building in Ruma Bazar on Saturday evening.
Uhlamong Marma, chairman of Paindu union, said the residents of Mulpi para fled to save their lives ignoring the extreme cold of the mountains.
Some families fled to their relatives' houses and some to the forest, the chairman said.
Some 40 people, including women and children, took shelter in the Marma Welfare Association building at Ruma Bazar. Food, blankets and accommodations were provided to them, he said.
They will stay at the association building until the situation calms down, he added.
A local journalist from Ruma, Shaihlaching Marma, said the villagers took shelter in Ruma Sadar upazila and they are being supported in all kinds of ways.
According to locals, Mulpi Para village is 8km from Ruma Sadar uapzila. Some 80 families from the Bom community and 51 families from the Marma community live in that village. As the village is in a remote area, it is often attacked by KNF members.
Due to their heavy presence, the villagers were terrified and unable to leave their homes, fearing atrocities.
Dhaka TribuneA local, wishing to be anonymous, said the son-in-law of a merchant's daughter in that village was taken away by KNF last week. He was beaten up and left injured in the forest. The villagers later rescued him.
Since that incident, the people have been in extreme panic, he said.
“KNF threatened them not to leave the village. So when the separatists went to another village, all the villagers of Mulpi Para fled the area,” he added.
According to him, many families who fled are still in the jungle.
Ruma Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Mamun Shiblee said they are communicating with those who took shelter at Marma Welfare Association.
“Some more families who are still in the jungle or in relatives' houses might be coming here as well,” he said.
Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), or the Bom Party, surfaced on the scene last year after Indian border forces arrested a dozen members with arms and ammunition in Mizoram.
Formed in 2017, KNF aims to establish a separate state within Bangladesh -- with nine upazilas, namely Baghaichari, Barkal, Belaichari and Jurachari upazilas of Rangamati, and Ruma, Thanchi, Alikadam and Rowangchhari upazilas of Bandarban.
KNF, which consists of young male and female members of the Bom community, maintains close ties with like-minded groups operating in Mizoram, Manipur, Rakhine State and the CHT.