Hill Voice, 22 April 2025, International Desk: Representative of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), Augustina Chakma, has delivered speech on agenda item 5(e): Interregional, intergenerational and global dialogue on “The rights of Indigenous women” on 21 April 2025 at the 24th session of the United Nations Permament Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

The 24th session of the UNPFII has started at the UN headquarters in New York on 21 April 2025 and will end on 2 May 2025.

Three representatives of the PCJSS, namely, Chanchana Chakma, Augustina Chakma and Manojit Chakma, are attending the session while Pallab Chakma of Kapaeeng Foundation, Binota Moy Dhamai of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and Toni Chiran are also attending the session on behalf of indigenous peoples of Bangladesh. Besides, a 6-member delegation of the government of Bangladesh is participating in the event.

In her statement, Augustina Chakma, said that the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord (CHT Accord) of 1997 has a deep connection with the security and empowerment of indigenous Jumma women. But due to the failure to properly implement the CHT Accord, the security and empowerment of indigenous Jumma women are still far from being achieved.

In particular, due to non-implementation of withdrawal of temporary army camps, resolution of land disputes, rehabilitation of India-returnee Jumma refugees and internally displaced families, relocation of Bengali settlers outside the CHT, transfer of power to the Regional Council and Hill District Council, etc., the political participation of indigenous Jumma women is being hampered, while violence against them continues unabated.

The year 2024 has the records of 12 sexual violence against Jumma women and girls by the Muslim settlers and in these incidents, 16 Jumma women and girls were victims of violence. Although some of the accused were arrested in these incidents, due to weak charges and the weak role of the police, the accused were released from jail on bail a few days after their arrest. Hence, no person involved in such incidents has hitherto brought under the law and awarded punishment accordingly. It is for the culture of immunity from judicial action, incidents of sexual violations upon the Jumma women and children have been continuing to happen in the hills of CHT.

For instance, in the case of the rape of a mentally disabled girl (16) from the indigenous Khiyang community by an outside worker named Md. Jamal Hossain in Bandarban district on last March 10, the army led Major Sarwar, commander of the Khamtang Para Army Camp under the 5 East Bengal Regiment of the Bandarban Army Zone have pressured the victim’s family to reach a social compromise instead of filing a case with the police station.

On the directive of Army Major Sarwar, the indigenous elders imposed a fine of 200,000 takas on the rapist Md. Jamal Hossain. When Major Sarwar was informed of the verdict, Major Sarwar asked the elders to reduce the fine. The elders again reduced the fine 160,000 takas.

When informed of the decision, Major Sarwar was reluctant to accept that too. Later, under pressure from Major Sarwar, the elders were forced to give a verdict of only 40,000 takas. Even then money was kept in arrears and the victim’s family has not yet been given cash.

With regard to the rights of CHT Indigenous women, Permanent Forum must play an important role that can impart in safeguarding the vulnerable Indigenous women with their rights in the CHT and to do so, Permanent Forum must

1. Convince the Interim government to implement the CHT Accord of 1997 fully for the sake security and empowerment of indigenous women in CHT.
2. Ask the government of Bangladesh to make special Acts in order to protect Indigenous women from vulnerability.