Hill Voice, 3 October 2024, Rangamati: The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) published a report on Khagrachari-Dighinala-Rangamati Communal Attack on 18, 19 and 20 September 2024 was taken place by the Bengali settlers on Indigenous Jumma peoples.

The report stated that Incidents of communal attacks and setting fire on the Jumma-people-run business institutions and houses including the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regional Council office were perpetrated by the Bengali settlers in Khagrachari Sadar and Dighinala on 18–19 September 2024 and in Rangamati Sadar on 20 September 2024. The communal attacks claimed 4 souls of Jumma people of whom 1 was killed by the Bengali settlers in Dighinala, 2 were killed in army firing in Khagrachari Sadar and 1 was killed by the Bengali settlers in Rangamati Sadar. Besides, during the communal attacks, more than hundreds of Jumma people sustained fatal injuries while over 100 houses and shops belonged to the Jumma people including CHT Regional Council office were burnt to ashes and looted.

On 18 September 2024, one Bengali settler named Md. Mamun (40) managed to steal a motor bike belonged to one Goldi Chakma from Madhupur area and was fleeing at its speed. But within seconds, the motor bike hit the electric-line pole by the roadside with speed for which Md. Mamun, the thief, fell down from the bike received serious injuries. In no time, the mob of Bengali and Jumma people around while shouting ‘There goes the thief’, caught and beat him. Consequently, Md. Mamun got senseless. Later on, while taken to hospital, the doctors declared Mamun to be dead.

But soon after the death of Md. Mamun, the Bengali settlers went on spreading provocative speeches and propagating that it was the Jumma people who had killed Mamun deliberately. On 18 September 2024, while spreading ill propagation, the Bengali settlers tried to attack in Madhupur. Afterward, the communal attacks were conducted in Dighinala and Khagrachari on 19 September 2024 and in Rangamati Sadar on 20 September 2024.

Dighinala attack claimed at least 52 shops and houses, 24 numbers of motor bikes and Auto Rickshaws totally burnt down. It is estimated that the total amount of Jumma people’s wealth approximately worth of BDT 5 crore was blazed. At that time, the army personnel played the role of silent spectators. During the resistance in Bridge area, one Dhana Ranjan Chakma (52), son of Handara Chakma of Udol Bagan received critical injuries and died.

In Khagrachari sadar, the army opened fire at them. At this, 20 Jumma students were seriously wounded, some sustained bullet injuries at abdomen level while some others received bullet injuries in their knees and feet. Of them, 2 students were killed in bullet hitting shot by the army at Swanirbhar area.

During attacks in Rangamati, 1 Jumma youth was killed while hundred over Jumma people were wounded. It was learnt, of them, 27 wounded are reported to have received medical treatment in the Rangamati general hospital while 25 wounded have received treatment in the Rajbana Bihar hospital. Besides, 28 have had native medical treatment at home. Along with vandalism and looting in Maitree Bihar, 24 houses, business establishments and shops of Jumma people were set on fire, vandalized and looted. It is estimated that around BDT 5 crores worth of property was damaged.

PCJSS report also added that in the ISPR statement of 20 September 2024, it was stated: “… the on-going tensed situation can take a formidable form of riot in the three hill districts…” The statement of ISPR is tantamount to almost an advance articulation of communal riot, which is considered to have been a conspiracy to incite the rioters. The responsible authority like ISPR can never propagate well in advance on “formidable communal riot” in such manner. This propagation may also be treated as to be almost an equivalent to create fear and panic in the mindset of the people.

The incidents of communal attacks and arson of the genre are not new in CHT. Following the signing of the CHT Accord in 1997, altogether 21 communal attacks including the recent communal attack had been conducted under direct patronization of vested elements. The prime target behind these kinds of communal attack is to turn the non-Muslim inhabited CHT into a Muslim-dominant region and to that end, to cripple the economy of the Jumma people, to occupy their lands forcibly, to evict them from their ancestral lands and overall to create terror among the Jumma people.

Needless to be mentioned that there is no any other alternative to political and peaceful solution to the CHT crisis with exception to implementation of the CHT Accord of 1997. The solution key to the crisis lies in the implementation of the CHT Accord. Under the given circumstances, PCJSS demands to the Interim Government of Bangladesh includes:

1. To take measures for judicial inquiry into communal attacks on September 19-20 in Khagrachari, Dighinala and Rangamati.
2. To provide proper compensation and medical treatment to the persons killed and wounded and the affected families, on the part of government.
3. To bring the persons involved in the communal attacks in Khagrachari, Dighinal and Rangamati to trial and ensure illustrative punishment.