Hill Voice, 28 September 2025, Special Correspondent: Today (28 September) is the second day of the dawn to dusk road blockade program in Khagrachari district under the banner of ‘Jumma Chatra-Janata’ (Jumma student-mass) to protest against the rape of a Marma school girl and demand the arrest of all rapists. It is reported that from this morning to around 4 pm, a series of fierce attacks was carried out on the Jummas who were conducting the road blockade and in the bazar and houses in Guimara upazila of the district. In addition, the army charged baton on Jummas at four places in Khagrachari Sadar area.

In Ramsu Bazar and its surrounding Jumma settlements in Guimara Upazila, three to eight Jummas were reportedly killed and at least 15 injured and missing in a series of attacks by the army, Bengali settlers and outside miscreants. In addition, at least 15 houses, 60 shops and 13 motorcycles belonging to local Jummas were reportedly set on fire and 7 shops were looted.

According to several eyewitnesses, a group of Jumma students and people were trying to hold their program by blocking the road in front of the food warehouse in the upazila adjacent to Ramsu Bazar in Guimara this morning.

At one point, a group of army personnel, a group of Bengali settlers, and some masked armed outsiders arrived there. At that time, the army first took the initiative to drive the blocking student-crowd off the road. This led to an argument between the army personnel and the blocking student-crowd. Then the army forcibly dispersed the gathering of students.

At around 12 noon, a chase and counter-chase began between the army along with the Bengali settlers and the Jumma student-mass. In the meantime, the Bengali settlers started setting fire to shops in Ramsu Bazar and the houses of the surrounding Jummas, burned motorcycles, and looted shops. This led to a chase and counter-chase between both sides.

On the other hand, during this chase and counter-chase by both sides, it is known from multiple eyewitnesses that at around 1 pm, the army and masked miscreants opened fire on the Jumma students-mass who were holding the blockade. The attack by the army, Bengali settlers and masked miscreants is said to have lasted until 4 pm.

According to various media outlets and multiple eyewitnesses, three Jumma people were killed in the attack. At the time of writing this report, the bodies of the three people have been kept at Khagrachari Sadar Hospital. However, the bodies have been covered in white cloth, but the police are not allowing anyone to see the faces of the bodies. The names of the three deceased have not been confirmed yet.

On the other hand, according to an eyewitness who did not wish to be named, the owner of a shop that was burnt in the market, at least 7-8 Jummas were killed in the firing and attacks by army and settlers. According to him, some of them were killed and thrown into the shop fire and burnt to ashes.

According to the information received so far, the names of the injured persons who have been found are: 1. Chinkyu Marma (26), son of Rebesa Marma, village-Natunpara; 2. Agya Marma (22), son of Karbi Marma, village-Battala; 3. Bikash Tripura (26), son of Laxmipati Tripura, Guimara Sadar; 4. Jewel Marma, village-Pathachara; 5. Aungthoai Marma, village-Dewanpara; 6. Kongjasai Marma, village-Amtali; 7. Uhlamye Marma, address-Ramsu Bazar; 8. Melaprue Marma, address-Ramsu Bazar; 9. Kyase Marma, address-Ramsu Bazar; 10. Aungching Marma, address-Ramsu Bazar and 11. Sachingnue Marma, village-Battala.

However, eyewitnesses believe that many more people might have been injured beyond the above list.

In addition, at least 5 Jummas are reported to be missing. Three of them are named as Thowaiching Marma, Chingprue Marma and Athuiprue Marma. According to a source, the 5 Jummas have been taken to a local army camp.

It was reported that several army personnel were also injured by brickbats during the attack on Jummas in the Ramsu Bazar area of Guimara.

Army baton charges Khagrachari Sadar: An elderly woman injured

On the same day (September 28), it was reported that army of the Khagrachari Brigade suddenly and violently charged with baton the Jummas in at least four places in Khagrachari Sadar. The army first baton-charged Jummas in the Swanirbhar Bazar area around 8 am. Then, it is reported that the army suddenly appeared in the Giriful, Manigram and Kuradiachara areas and beat up any Jumma villagers they found. During this time, it is reported that a 70-year-old woman was baton-charged and left bleeding in the Kuradiachara area.