Hill Voice, 1 July 2025, Special Report: Today (1 July) a half-yearly report (January-June 2025) on human rights situation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has been published by Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).
The report signed by Sajib Chakma, Assistant Information and Publicity Secretary of PCJSS states that: Fundamentally, there has been brought in no change or progress in the totality of Human Rights situation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) although the Interim Government led by Dr. Yunus passes 11 months. The army continue to interrupt the implementation process of the CHT Accord in various forms. From January to June 2025, 103 human rights violations were committed by security forces and 315 Jumma people were subjected to human rights violations in these incidents.
The core text of the report is as follows:
“Fundamentally, there has been brought in no change or progress in the totality of the Human Rights situation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) although the Interim Government led by Dr. Yunus passes 11 months. As there is no initiative to end the existing human rights violations, oppression and deprivation of the Jumma people, so there is no initiative to end these injustices, and no effective and hope-generating initiative to fully implement the CHT Accord, which was signed to resolve the CHT crisis by peaceful and political means.
The implementation status of the Accord shows that two-third sections of the Accord including the core issues have not yet been implemented even passing 27 years last. As though the present Interim Government reconstituted the three Hill District Councils, appointed the Chairman of CHT Development Board and reconstituted the CHT Accord Implementation and Monitiring Committee, but no sincere initiative undertaken to address the unimplemented issues of the Accord, on part of the government is visible. The CHT Accord Implementation and Monitoring Committee was though reorganized on 12 January 2025 but no session of the said committee has been held despite passing almost six months. Consequently, the situation of human rights violation in CHT is getting escalated day by day.
It is unfortunate that instead of resolving the CHT crisis through execution of the unimplemented issues of the Accord, the government is persuading fascist policy of laying out wide-ranged militarization to address the CHT crisis invariably. Hence, the CHT Chapter has remained delegated to the military authority. It is by merit of the ‘Operation Uttoron’ (Operation Upliftment), the army have been regulating all the affairs of CHT including the subjects of General Administration, Law & Order, Judiciary and Development sector. This provides the army an unchallengeable access to interrupting the implementation process of the CHT Accord in various forms.
Thus, the government, with a view to nullifying the CHT Accord implementation process and over all, continuing ethnic cleansing, has been making use of all means and ways in association with state machinery, state forces, Muslim Bengali settlers, Islamic radical quarters, domesticated armed terrorist groups, land grabbers of various companies and influential individuals, development engineering, demographic engineering, etc.
From January to June 2025, 103 human rights violations were committed by security forces and law enforcement agencies deployed in the CHT, army-backed armed terrorist groups, communal and fundamentalist groups, Muslim Bengali settlers and land grabbers, and 315 Jumma people were subjected to human rights violations in these incidents. Among them, 49 people were arrested and 30 Mro children were converted to Islam. In addition, at least 300 acres of land were seized by outside companies, influential individuals and settlers.”
Note-worthy that of the 103 incidents that occurred from January to June 2025, 48 were carried out by security forces and law enforcement agencies, resulting in at least 125 people being subjected to human rights violations and patrol operations in 34 villages. Of these, 49 were arrested, including 19 people temporarily detained, and 9 were subjected to false cases.
During the same period, 19 out of 103 incidents were carried out by army-created armed terrorist groups, resulting in 95 individuals and villagers of 5 villages being subjected to human rights violations, including 3 killings. Human rights violations included kidnapping, ransom demands, beatings, killings, gunshot wounds, searches, death threats, money and mobile phone snatching, extortion demands, etc.
During the same period, 21 were committed by Muslim Bengali settlers and land grabbers, resulting in 79 Jumma victims of human rights violations including the conversion of 30 Mro children to Islam, and at least 300 acres of land being seized. Communal tensions and threats have been incited by the Parbatya Chattagram Nagarik Parishad (CHT Citizens’ Council). One of these incidents is the brutal communal attack on indigenous students and masses in Dhaka.
On the other hand, 15 incidents of violence against Jumma women and girls were committed by the Muslim Bengali settlers, Bengali people coming from outside, laborers, and other professional individuals, and at this, 16 women fell prey to human rights violations.
