45 eminent citizens, rights activists call for probe, prompt legal action for CHT violence

Forty-five eminent citizens and rights activists have issued a statement in the wake of recent clashes in Khagrachhari and Rangamati, demanding investigation and prompt legal action against those responsible. 

"We are deeply concerned and saddened by these incidents and the casualties. We condemn the violence," they said in the statement issued today (21 September).

Violent clashes erupted in the hill districts of Khagrachhari and Rangamati, leaving four people dead and over 50 injured.

The incidents, which occurred on Thursday and Friday, led to heightened tensions and heavy law enforcement deployment in both regions. Amid deteriorating situation, local administrations imposed Section 144 in the two districts. 

In Khagrachhari, clashes on Thursday night claimed the lives of three people—Junan Chakma, 20, Dhananjay Chakma, 50, and Rubel, 30. Nine others were injured.

Tensions escalated in Rangamati, a district neighbouring the troubled Khagrachari region, as violent clashes and counter-clashes have left one person dead and over fifty injured.

Referring to the casualties of the July uprising during the student-led mass protests, the citizens said, "If the same incident is repeated in the hills and not properly investigated and prosecuted, it will be considered as a disgrace to the 'new Bangladesh' achieved by the blood and sacrifice of the students."

Incidentally, the statement added, it should be noted that such incidents of violence are not the first in the hill tracts. "We know of many instances of such clashes, violence and casualties in the past few decades, including the recent past. 

"It is also important to say that in the 1980s, many Bangali families settled in the hills from different districts of the plains with support from the-then government for political purposes… On the other hand, a number of Bangalis, who are not settlers but permanent residents of the hilly areas, have been living in peaceful co-existence with the people in the hills for a long time."

The statement also highlighted that the main conflict is due to those who settled in the hilly areas and were involved in land encroachment, displacing the ethnic community people from their homes for several generations.

"Many things have been and will be reformed through the interim government. It is also necessary to reform the system of oppression, torture and lack of justice that has been part of the lives of the people in the hilly areas for decades," reads the statement.

The citizens demanded a fair, impartial, transparent, and high-level investigation into the violence in Khagrachhari and Rangamati, as well as bringing to book those responsible.

Radical change in the governance system and structure of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is necessary and the governance structure should be restructured as per the Chittagong Hill Tracts Treaty, 1997, the citizens said.

Deployment of the army in those areas, overall security and protection of human rights were also called for.

The citizens also demanded the constitutional recognition of ethnic groups from the hills and plains be brought up with due importance in the constitution discussion.

Some of the notable signatories include – Sultana Kamal, human rights activist and former adviser to the caretaker government; Prof Anu Muhammad, Democratic Rights Committee member; Khushi Kabir, women's rights movement leader and human rights activist; Rasheda K Chowdhury, former adviser to caretaker government; Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB executive director; and Subrata Chowdhury, senior advocate of the Supreme Court.