Hill Voice, 21 October 2025, Rangamati: According to reports, on the night of 20 October 2025, at approximately 11:30 PM, Bengali settlers carried out a violent attack in a Jumma-inhabited village named Bara Mailya, located in Ward No. 9 of Sarowatuli Union under Baghaichari Upazila of Rangamati Hill District. During the attack, at least 10 houses belonging to Jumma residents were extensively vandalized and looted. Additionally, another house was looted and then completely destroyed by arson.

According to local sources, about a year ago, two outsider Bengali settlers from Gulshakhali in Longadu secretly purchased land from a Jumma individual in Bara Mailya, an area located on the border between Baghaichari and Longadu upazilas.

However, after the matter became known to the Jumma community in Bara Mailya, the Jumma who had sold the land attempted to return the money to the two Bengali settlers, but they refused to take it back.

However, a few days later, for some unknown reason, the two settlers agreed to take the money back. As a result, the Jumma villager immediately returned the money to them without any delay, and the matter was settled then and there.

On the other hand, a few months after the incident, the same settlers, surprisingly, returned with a group of settlers to clear the jungle on the land previously sold by the Jumma villager. When the nearby Jumma residents of Boro Mailya saw this, several of them immediately came together to stop the activity.

At one point, when it seemed that a communal clash might break out between the two sides, the incident quickly became known in the area. Later, representatives from both parties, including headmen, karbaris, and officials from the Baghaichari Upazila administration, arrived at the scene, and the situation was brought under control.

However, it has been reported that no resolution to the incident was reached that day.

Later, in the presence of both parties, it was decided that since the land was disputed, neither the hill people nor the Bengali settlers would be allowed to build any houses or establish any plantations there until the matter was resolved.

However, yesterday, when the landowner went to visit his garden, he discovered that several Bengali settlers had unlawfully built houses on the disputed land and were clearing the forest to establish various types of plantations.

Therefore, at around 8:00 p.m. on 20 October 2025, a group of Jumma villagers, angered by the illegal occupation of their land, vandalized the houses of the two settlers who had built homes there. They reminded the Bengali settlers of the earlier decision made regarding the disputed land and urged them to relocate their houses elsewhere. After that, they returned home peacefully.

In retaliation for the earlier incident, at around 11:30 p.m., the Bengali settlers launched a sudden attack on the Jumma village of Boro Mailya. Although no Jumma villagers were present at the time, the settlers looted various belongings from their homes including paddy, rice, clothing, machinery, and livestock along with other valuable items. Before leaving, they also carried out extensive vandalism in several houses and set fire to the home of a Jumma villager named Jagdish Chakma (s/o Bogra Chakma, of Boro Mailya), completely burning it down and destroying it.

According to the affected families, the attack by the Bengali settlers caused an estimated loss of around 3.5 million taka to the Jumma villagers.

It has been reported that the administration has not yet taken any action and continues to remain silent on the incident.

list of the families affected by the Bengali settler violence in Bara Mailya Bellow:

1. Jagadish Chakma, Father: Bagora Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
2. Judda Moni Chakma, Father: Nil Mohan Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
3. Sumati Ranjan Chakma, Father: Baneshwar chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
4. Barpeda Chakma, Father: Chandra Sen Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
5. Ushamoy Chakma, Father: Bijay Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
6. Sabar Bijay Chakma, Father: Priti Kumar Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
7. Nil Ratan Chakma, Father: Basu Kumar Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
8. Sushant Chakma, Father: Unknown, location: Bara Mailya.
9. Nipan Chakma, Father: Bijay Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
10. Nihar Bindu Chakma, Father: Britti Kumar Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.
11. Rintu Chakma, Father: Bijay Chakma, location: Bara Mailya.