n the mountainous district of Khagrachari in Bangladesh, conflict and violence between the hillbillies and Bengalis have spread to the neighboring Rangamati district. The administration has issued Section 144 in two districts to bring the situation under control.
At least three people were confirmed dead in Khagrachari on Thursday, all of them Paharis. In a statement, the military’s spokesperson, ISPR, said three people were killed in “firefights” with the army.
According to the army, they fired in ‘self-defence’. Army blames UPDF, an organization of Paharis, for this situation. However, UPDF has not received any statement on the matter.
In the context of the violence in the two hill districts, the statement issued by the chief adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, said that the government is working to control the situation in Khagrachari and Rangamati.
The statement sent from the press wing of the Chief Adviser also said that the government has directed all law enforcement agencies to exercise maximum restraint and ensure the safety of all the people living in the three hill districts.
Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharf Hossain said that the decision to issue Section 144 was taken at 1.30 pm on Friday.
How the incident started
When a Bengali student was beaten to death for stealing a bike, local Bengali students marched from Dighinala Government College to Lerma Square and were stopped by the Paharis. This started a conflict between the two sides.
Dighinala Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Nurul Haque said that the students of Dighinala College took out a procession to protest the death of a Bengali in Khagrachi.
The officer-in-charge said, when the procession came to Lerma Square around New Market, a hillbilly was pelted with stones. He said that violence started from this and several people were injured.
The situation is still there on Friday. In the meantime, when the Paharis took out a procession on Friday to protest against the fire and violence in Dighinala, they were chased again and again.
However, according to various local sources, the incident started on Wednesday. In the early morning of that day, a man named Mohammad Mamun was beaten up for stealing a motorcycle in Noapara area of Khagrachari town and the incident was recorded on video. Later, he was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, where he died.
The army has been deployed for the last few decades to maintain security and law and order in the three hill districts of Bangladesh.
The Inter-Services Public Relations Department or ISPR issued a statement on Friday regarding the Khagrachari incident.
The statement said, ‘A protest march was taken out from Dighinala College on Thursday. While the procession was crossing Boalkhali Bazar in Dighinala, some terrorists of UPDF (main) attacked the procession and fired 20-30 rounds. In this context, the angry crowd set fire to some shops in Boalkhali Bazaar.
Khagrachari Superintendent of Police Md. Arefin Jewel told BBC Bangla about the matter, ‘Bengali students took out a procession in Dighinala. Earlier in a robbery in the city, a thief first met with an accident, then died in a thrashing. There is a protest against it.’
From the procession to Boalkhali Bazar, students were chased by local traders. At one stage it turned into Pahari-Bengali conflict, he said. However, both sides are blaming each other for the cause of the conflict.
On Thursday afternoon, when the local Bengali protest march reached the Lerma Square area, some people present in the march complained that the Paharis blocked it. Again, many of the Paharis counter-complained that the Paharis were attacked from the procession.
Dighinala Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nurul Haque said that around 100 hill shops were set on fire in this incident.
Resident officer of Khagrachari district headquarter hospital Ripple Bappi Chakma has confirmed the news of three deaths so far in Thursday’s clash with the army who were killed in ‘gunfire’ .
According to the hospital sources, the three deceased are Pahari. They are Junan Chakma (20), Dhananjay Chakma (50) and Rubel (30). Among them, one is from Dighinala and two are residents of Khagrachari Sadar.
“When the patrol team of Khagrachari zone reached the self-reliant area of Khagrachari town at 10:30 pm, the UPDF (main) leadership was obstructed by the agitated public,” the ISPR notification said.
The statement added, ‘At one point the UPDF (core) terrorists opened fire on the army patrolling team and the army retaliated in self-defence. It is said that three people were killed and some were injured in the shooting.
Locals said that gunshots were heard in Sadar area around 10:00 to 11:00 on Thursday night.
Four of the injured have been sent to Chittagong Medical and currently five are admitted, said Khagrachari District Headquarters Hospital Resident Officer Ripal Bappi Chakma. He said, since evening, one after another injured persons were admitted to the hospital.
A police officer said that seven people were injured in the violence in Dighinala. Two of them have been sent to Chittagong Medical, one a Pahari and the other a Bengali. However, the situation is calmer on Friday than on Thursday, said the acting police officer Haque. He also said that police and army are present there since yesterday afternoon till now and we have controlled everything by 8 pm yesterday. Local car is running.’
However, local journalists say that the situation there is still quite stagnant due to fear and rumours.
Human rights activist Triratan Chakma said that there is still a tense situation in the hills. Army and BGB were seen taking position on the main road.
Section 144 issued in Khagrachari and Rangamati
District administration has issued section 144 in the municipal town of the district to prevent any new vandalism due to violence in Dighinala and Sadar of Khagrachari.
District Commissioner Md. Sahiduzzaman confirmed the matter and said that the administration has taken such measures to prevent any kind of violence.
In a circular signed by Khagrachari Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Sujan Chandra Roy, it is said, ‘Prohibition has been imposed according to section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code of 1898 to deal with the emergency situation and law and order situation. The ban will be effective from 2 pm to 9 pm on Friday.
Meanwhile, in protest of the incident in Dighinala, the hill people of Rangamati took out a protest march from the Rangamati Stadium area on Friday afternoon. Thousands of people participated in it. Later, when the procession went to Banrupa Bazar, rumors and tension spread and the two sides clashed. Later, clashes were reported at several places. Later, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan issued a public notice by issuing section 144 in the municipal area from noon.
He told BBC Bangla, ‘It has a link with Dighinala. That was the problem here. A mob is created and in the wake of the mob creation, shops are vandalized. Since the two sides faced each other here, there was a risk of loss of life and property. That is why section 144 has been issued.
He said that when one side started attacking the shops, both sides got involved in the conflict.
What the government is saying
The government is working to control the situation in Khagrachari and Rangamati. This was stated in the notification sent by the press wing of the Chief Adviser on Friday.
It said, ‘The government is deeply saddened and distressed by the ongoing attacks, assaults and loss of life following the lynching and subsequent death of a person on 18 September. The government has directed all law enforcement agencies to exercise maximum restraint and ensure the safety of all the people living in the three hill districts. The government is determined to ensure peace, harmony and harmony there.’
All are also instructed not to take the law into their own hands and not to engage in destructive activities. It states that taking law into one’s own hands and destroying any property is a punishable and punishable offence.
“Fair investigation of all incidents related to violence and prosecution of those responsible will be ensured. A strong investigation committee will be formed soon for this purpose. Those concerned have been instructed to ensure proper treatment of the injured.
The notification also informed that a high-level government delegation headed by the State Advisor will visit Khagrachari and Rangamati on Saturday.
The delegation will include Home Affairs Adviser, Chittagong Hill Tracts Adviser, Local Government Adviser and Special Assistant to Chief Adviser on Defense and National Integration Development.