Hill Voice, 23 September 2025, Special Correspondent: Yesterday (22 September), 6 innocent indigenous Marma villagers of Kuhalong Union in Sadar Upazila of Bandarban were arrested by the army while hunting wild boar in the Chandanaish area bordering Bandarban. The army arrested them from the hilly area of ​​Kanchanabad Union in Chandanaish Upazila of Chittagong.

Around 12:30 pm yesterday, a team of the army led by Captain Aref Asmar Joy, commander of the Chandanish army camp, arrested the six Marma villagers who were hunting wild boars. The army have been seen in various media outlets describing the arrested individuals as ‘hill terrorists’ and ‘militants’.

Many people have been protesting and expressing anger on social media after the captain labelled the hill men who were hunting wild boar as ‘hill terrorists’ and ‘militants’. Some have termed the incident a cheap ploy by the captain to get a promotion.

The six Marma villagers who were arrested are: (1) Lusai Mong Marma, son of late Aunkhoyching Marma; (2) Mongsanu Marma, son of late Thoaymongching Marma; (3) Mongnuching Marma, son of late Usamong Marma; (4) Sachingprue Marma, son of Shwehlakhoy Marma; (5) Luprumong Marma, son of Mongnishe Marma and (6) Chaisau Marma, son of Sapru Aung Marma. They are all residents of Chemi Dolu Para village, Ward No.1, Kuhalong Union No.2, Bandarban Sadar Upazila.

During the arrest, the army are said to have recovered from the said hunters a country-made gun for killing boars, several rounds of bullets, three dao/chapatis, a slingshot, a simple torch, etc. After the arrest, the army are said to have severely beaten the detainees.

It is known that the indigenous hill people sometimes go to that area to hunt wild boars in the forest. The indigenous and Bengali people of the area almost everybody know this as a common occurrence. This does not cause any problems between the hill people and the Bengalis. It is worth noting that for ages, the indigenous Jummas have been hunting especially wild boars in groups, with their own guns and bullets and nets.

After the arrest of the men, Md. Mizanur Rahman Biplob, a member of Ward No.7 of Kuhalong Union, described the incident as “very sad” and wrote on his Facebook status, “They went to hunt birds. We have known them since childhood, they are not involved in any hill organization.”