Dhaka, Sept 28 – At least three people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday as violent clashes erupted between indigenous tribesmen and Bengali settlers in Bangladesh’s Khagrachhari hill district, following the alleged gang rape of a tribal schoolgirl earlier this week.
Authorities confirmed the deaths but have not disclosed the victims’ identities. Witnesses reported that both groups torched homes and businesses as violence spread across multiple areas despite the deployment of military and paramilitary forces.
The unrest began Saturday when Chakma and Marma tribes enforced a road blockade in Khagrachhari town, 270 km from Dhaka, protesting the gang rape of an eighth-grade girl on Tuesday.
Violence Spreads Despite Emergency Restrictions
The violence intensified despite the district administration invoking Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code to ban rallies and public gatherings.
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Three deaths occurred in Guimara, 36 km south of the district headquarters, where clashes continued into Sunday.
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The home ministry confirmed that 13 army personnel and three policemen were among the injured.
Local journalists described a “curfew-like” situation with residents staying indoors amid fears of further violence.
Gang Rape Case Sparked Tensions
The minor girl was reportedly attacked on her way home from tuition classes and found unconscious later that night. Police, with military assistance, arrested a Bengali teenager suspected to be involved; he is being interrogated under a six-day remand order.
The Home Ministry expressed regret over the casualties and promised swift legal action against those responsible, urging all communities to maintain peace.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region, home to over a dozen mostly Buddhist ethnic minority groups, witnessed a two-decade insurgency before the 1997 Peace Accord ended demands for regional autonomy.
However, sporadic violence has continued, often involving rival factions such as the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) and the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF).
In October last year, interim leader Muhammad Yunus temporarily banned tourist travel to CHT after sectarian tensions escalated.
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