Uneasy calm in CHT, advisers visit hills

No tolerance will be shown to those who have disrupted law and order in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said today as the two districts experienced an eerie calm amid no  reports of fresh violence.  

"None will be spared if found responsible. If they attempt this again in the future, they will face severe consequences," he said following a meeting with local leaders at Rangamati Cantonment.

The adviser emphasised that law and order must not deteriorate under any circumstances and sought everyone's cooperation to improve the situation.

At the meeting, it was decided to form a high-level committee to investigate the recent incidents of violence in Rangamati and Khagrachari districts.

Adviser Jahangir led a high-level delegation from the interim government to meet with local political leaders, transport leaders, and representatives from various organisations. Officials from the army and police also attended the meeting.

The delegation included CHT Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma and Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Adviser Hasan Arif.

"There is an external conspiracy attempting to destroy our harmony," said Adviser Hasan Arif. "A powerful investigation committee is being formed to uncover those involved, and they will be dealt with accordingly."

The meeting took place amid a tense atmosphere in the region following violent unrest that resulted in four deaths and over 50 injuries on Thursday and Friday.

Violence erupted between ethnic communities and Bengalis when a local youth named Md Mamun was beaten to death by a mob over a motorcycle theft incident on 18 September in Khagrachhari Sadar.

Heavy law enforcement has been deployed in the region, and local administrations have imposed Section 144 in the two districts.

Meanwhile, a 72-hour blockade of roads and waterways in the three hill districts—Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban—has been in effect since 6am today.

Mobile network and fixed broadband internet services have also been affected in the two districts due to ongoing clashes, leading to significant damage to the local telecommunications infrastructure, according to BTCL.

However, Post, Telecommunication, and Information Technology Adviser Nahid Islam said the internet has not been officially suspended anywhere in the CHT.

Blockade and strike

The two districts experienced an eerie calm today and there were no reports of violence.

CHT Blockade, called under the banner of "Aggrieved Jumma Chhatra Janata"  to protest incidents of attacks and arson, was in force in the three CHT districts.

Amid reports of a burning of CNG-run auto rickshaws, transport association leaders called for an indefinite strike in Rangamati, while long-distance bus services to Khagrachhari were suspended.

In Rangamati, the situation also remained calm. Shops were closed, traffic was halted, and fewer people were present on the streets, giving the town a deserted appearance. The local authorities have also instructed shops and businesses to remain closed.

Some cargo vehicles were grounded, but a few private vehicles, including motorcycles, were seen on inner roads. Local residents reported that the situation was still at a standstill, expressing fears of leaving their homes even to buy essentials.

Calls for action

The CHT Commission and the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) have expressed deep concern over the situation in CHT.

In a joint statement issued on 20 September, the organisations urgently called on the interim government to take immediate action to ensure the safety and protection of Indigenous peoples in the region.

"We demand the formation of a UN-led inquiry committee to investigate the alleged human rights violations and the root causes of the violence," the statement said.

Meanwhile, a group of 45 eminent citizens issued a statement today demanding an independent, impartial, transparent, and high-level investigation into the violence in the CHT.

They also called for a fundamental change in the governance structure of the three hill districts, advocating a restructuring of the governance framework in line with the 1997 Peace Accord.

Additionally, discussions on the constitution must focus on the constitutional recognition of all Indigenous communities in both the hills and plains.

Among those who signed the statement were human rights activists Sultana Kamal and Khushi Kabir, economists Anu Muhammad and Iftekharuzzaman, and lawyers Subroto Chowdhury and ZI Khan Panna.