Hill Voice, 19 September 2026, Special Correspondent: The Bangladesh Army have ordered the demolition of a Jumma villager’s house in Tumpara village of Farua Union No. 3 of Bilaichari Upazila of Rangamati district and no houses can be built in the adjacent area and in Gachabagan village. There have also been allegations that the army are plotting to evict Jummas from those areas and establish a tourist center.

According to local residents, the Army’s 26 Engineer Construction Brigade (26 ECB) has ordered the demolition of a house in Tumpara village, Ward No. 5, under Farua Union No. 3 of Bilaichari. A notice issued by the Army has set 19 September 2026 as the deadline for demolishing the house.

According to local sources, the then warrant officer of 26 ECB, Ranjan Chakma, had sought permission from the hill people to excavate soil from the area to fill the road that had collapsed during road construction. The locals allowed the cutting of soil on the condition that houses could be built there later. Although the army later agreed to build houses by installing a few benches for tourists on the leveled area after cutting the soil, Captain Iqbal of 26 ECB has now declared the area ‘zero point’ and has banned the construction of houses. It is learnt that he has ordered the owner of the house to demolish the house on his own responsibility by September 19.

Locals allege that the army are trying to occupy the area in Tumpara as a pretext for developing a tourist center. They claim that various restrictions are being imposed with the aim of removing the local Jumma people from their land.

Meanwhile, concerns have reportedly arisen among local residents regarding the construction of houses in the Gachbagan area of the same upazila.

According to local residents, on Monday, 14 September 2026, a meeting was held at the Army camp at the instruction of Captain Iqbal of 26 ECB. The meeting was attended by 11 Headmen and Karbaris of the area, a member of Ward No. 6 of Jurachari, and a member of Ward No. 5 of Farua Union, in the presence of Senior Warrant Officer Ayub and Warrant Officer Subedar Nasir. At the meeting, Captain Iqbal stated that no new houses could be constructed within 50 cubits (about 25 yards away) of the road in Gachbagan village and that the Army would demolish any house constructed within that limit. Such instructions from the Army have reportedly created fear among villagers that they may be evicted from their ancestral lands.

Residents of Gachbagan village said that the Army has instructed that if old houses are demolished, they cannot be repaired and that no new settlements may be established. Various sources also say that plans are being made to build a mosque in the area, despite the fact that there is no Muslim population.

Local residents allege that the Gachbagan area is also included in plans to develop a tourist center in the future. For this reason, they fear that efforts are gradually being made to prevent local Jumma people from constructing houses and to remove them from their own lands.

According to local residents, this is a planned conspiracy to evict the Jumma people from their ancestral homesteads and occupy their land. Fearing the loss of their own land, local Jumma residents are currently living amid extreme insecurity and fear.