Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that 316 people were killed in attacks by armed groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) over the past 5 years, including 308 civilians and 8 members of the security forces.
During the same period, 435 civilians and 55 members of the security forces were injured.
The home minister provided the information on behalf of the prime minister in response to a written question from SA Jinnah Kabir, member of parliament for Manikganj-1, during the question-and-answer session on the third day of the fourth session of the National Parliament on Wednesday.
In his question, SA Jinnah Kabir sought information on attacks, abductions, forcible extortion and the use of illegal firearms by armed groups, as well as attacks on members of the army and other law enforcement agencies.
He also asked about incidents affecting the security of Bengalis and people from different small ethnic groups living in the CHT districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban over the past 5 years, including the number of people killed and injured.
In response, Salahuddin Ahmed said armed groups had carried out 97 attacks on security forces over the past 5 years. During this period, 194 attacks targeted the Bengali community and 81 targeted small ethnic groups.
In addition, 297 people were abducted, forcible extortion was carried out in 471 incidents, and illegal firearms were used in 377 incidents.
Outlining the government's measures to control the security situation in the hill districts, the home minister said the special armed forces operation, "Operation Uttaran", was ongoing to maintain peace and order and suppress terrorist activities.
He said the Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police and SRB had increased regular patrols and intelligence activities to prevent terrorist activities.
A strict policy had also been adopted against illegal arms holders, extortionists and terrorists in the hills, he said. Cases were being filed under existing laws over specific allegations of crimes, and the accused were being brought under the law.
The home minister further said regular special joint operations were being conducted by the army, BGB, police and SRB to eliminate the activities of new and old regional armed groups in the CHT and recover illegal firearms.
Based on intelligence information, operations were also being conducted to destroy secret hideouts and training camps of terrorists in remote hilly areas. Helicopters were being used with assistance from the air force when required.
He said the sources and economic sectors linked to terrorists' forcible extortion were being identified and monitored.
To prevent extortion, the number of checkpoints had been increased, while intelligence surveillance of financial transactions, including mobile banking, had been strengthened.
Mentioning that the BGB's capabilities had been increased to prevent the smuggling of illegal firearms and drugs across the border, the minister said surveillance had been intensified in remote areas adjacent to the Mizoram border in India and the Myanmar border.
Police and SRB were also uncovering various sources and networks in the plains involved in supplying weapons and military uniforms, he added.
The home minister further said hundreds of active members of various regional armed groups had been arrested through continuous and special joint operations in the hills.
During these operations, advanced firearms, live ammunition, magazines, combat uniforms, drones and signal equipment used by the groups had been recovered.
