Two separate cases have been filed in Khagrachhari and Rangamati in connection with the killing of two individuals on September 18 and 19, amid ongoing unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). Another case has been filed over vandalism.
In Khagrachhari, a murder case was filed against three people over the death of 35-year-old trader Mamun, who was reportedly beaten to death in Shalban area of Dighinala upazila on September 18.
His death triggered violence in Khagrachhari, where over 100 shops and businesses were torched at Larma Square market, severely disrupting law and order.
Three people of minor group were killed during the clashes in Khagrachhari, prompting local authorities to impose Section 144 in an attempt to restore calm.
The accused in Mamun’s murder case have been identified as Md Shakil, 27, Rafiqul Alam, 55, and Didarul Alam, 52.
Additionally, 10 to 12 unidentified people of minor group and Bangalee individuals were also implicated. The case was filed by Mamun’s wife Mukta Akter with Khagrachhari Sadar police station on the night of September 19.However, the information surfaced only after three advisers of the interim government visited the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Khagrachhari Sadar police station Abdul Baten Mridha confirmed matter. He said, “We took the case, but before we could begin our investigation, the situation escalated and went out of control.”
According to the case statement, Mamun was a furniture trader and the owner of ‘Maa Furniture’.
On the evening of September 17, he left home for his shop, intending to spend the night there due to accommodation issues at home. The following day, his wife learned that Mamun’s employee Shahin had been abducted. She also found out that the accused, Shakil, Rafiqul, and Didarul, had forced Mamun to go with them, allegedly due to prior enmity.
Later, she saw a video on Facebook showing an attempt to kill her husband. She eventually found him dead at Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital, while Shahin, who witnessed the incident, was also beaten and remains in the hospital.
The OC said, ‘We are investigating the case, but it’s too early to comment. No arrests have been made so far.’
Chittagong Range DIG Ahsan Habib Palash assured that the police would bring the accused to justice, saying ‘No one involved in the murder will be spared.’
In Rangamati, another case was filed after 19-year-old Anik Chakma was beaten to death during clashes between indigenous and Bangalee groups. The violence, which started in Khagrachhari, spread to Rangamati on Friday, where Anik succumbed to his injuries after being taken to the hospital.
On Saturday, Anik’s father Adar Sen Chakma filed a case against unidentified individuals with Kotwali police station. Rangamati District Police’s Additional Superintendent of Police Shah Md Imran said, “We are trying to identify the suspects and make arrests.”
In response to the violence, indigenous protesters, under the banner of Jummo Chhatra-Janata Parishad, enforced a 72-hour road and waterway blockade starting Friday evening.
As of the morning on Sunday, local vehicles were operating within Khagrachhari town, but inter-district bus services between Chittagong-Khagrachhari and Khagrachhari-Rangamati remained suspended
Police filed another case over arson attack and vandalism.
Meanwhile, Adviser for Jute and Textile and Shipping ministries Brigadier General (retd) Sakhawat Hossain said there has been too much bloodshed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and it needs to stop.
“Many are fueling unrest in the hills, and this incitement must be countered regionally. Living together peacefully is essential, and this is not just the government's responsibility but also society’s. If harmony cannot be maintained among the 14 communities, it will harm everyone,” he said.
The adviser made the comments on Sunday, responding to journalists' questions during a stopover in Barisal Marine Academy.
Calling for peace in the hill regions, he said, “There are 14 communities living in the hills, including Bangalees. To maintain harmony among them, we need to understand the suffering and pain of the people belonging to the ethnic minority groups. Without fostering a cordial regional environment, this problem will persist.”
Highlighting corruption in the previous government, M Sakhawat Hossain said: "In the two ministries under my purview, there has not been just ‘sea-level theft’ but ‘ocean-level theft.’ The government that was in power for the last 15 years turned the entire system into one of corruption.
“They have completely destroyed the Jute ministry, and I am trying to rebuild it. Solving 15 years of corruption is not possible in one or two years. It will take time to recover."
Speaking about the Marine Academy students, Sakhawat Hossain said: "Efforts are being made to increase job quotas for graduates of the Marine Academy on the international stage. We are trying to create more positions in Dubai and Singapore."
