Hill Voice, 26 January 2026, Special Correspondent: It has been reported that on Saturday (24 January) two under-construction residential houses belonging to Jumma people were demolished by the Bangladesh Army in the Gashbagan Para area of Bilaichari Upazila in Rangamati district.

The victims are: 1) Sukhamoy Chakma, S/O Dayal Chakma; 2) Dhaneshwar Chakma, S/O unknown.

According to sources, on 24 January the two under-construction houses belonging to the two Jumma people were demolished with a bulldozer under the Command of Major Atik and Subedar Mosharaf of the 26th ECB (Engineer Construction Battalion/Brigade) of the Bangladesh Army. At the same time, the army reportedly initiated a plan to establish a tourist center in the Gashbagan Para area, similar to Sajek. For this purpose, the Bangladesh Army is said to be making various efforts to evict the local Jumma people.

It may be noted that in the Gashbagan area, despite protests by residents of Thum Para, Dulubagan, and Gashbagan, the 26th ECB (Engineer Construction Battalion/Brigade) of the Bangladesh Army has continued its activities by occupying hill people’s possessed lands, Jum (shifting cultivation) lands, and community forests in order to establish a tourist center on land taken from the Jumma people.