• 72-Hour Blockade Planned in Chattogram Starting Saturday

  • Section 144 Imposed in Khagrachhari Sadar and Rangamati Municipality

Dhaka, Sep 21 (V7N) – Violence has escalated in Rangamati and Khagrachhari, resulting in four deaths and 74 injuries amid clashes between ethnic minority groups and Bengali settlers.

In Rangamati, unrest began on Friday, claiming one life and injuring over 54 individuals. Dr. Sadia Akhtar of Rangamati General Hospital confirmed the casualty, although the deceased’s identity remains unknown. To restore order, District Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan has imposed Section 144 throughout the Rangamati municipality.

Local sources report that a student-led protest march in Rangamati on Friday was a response to a prior attack in Dighinala, Khagrachhari. The march reached Bonorupa market, leading to panic and subsequent attacks on businesses, with several establishments set ablaze.

In Khagrachhari, three individuals—Dhananjay Chakma, Rubel Tripura, and Junan Chakma (20)—lost their lives amid arson and gunfire. The violence, which began late Thursday, resulted in 20 additional injuries. The victims succumbed to their injuries at Adhunik Sadar Hospital, as confirmed by Ahsan Habib Palash, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Chittagong Range Police.

Gunfire erupted across Khagrachhari town around 10:30 PM Thursday, instilling fear among residents. Dr. Ripple Bappi Chakma, resident medical officer at Khagrachhari District Hospital, noted that 15 injured individuals were admitted, with three later dying. Currently, nine others are receiving treatment, and four critically injured patients have been transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

The clashes were triggered by the lynching of Md Mamun, a Bengali man accused of motorcycle theft in Khagrachhari on Wednesday. Protests by the Bengali community in Dighinala on Thursday led to increased violence, with ethnic minorities reportedly attempting to obstruct the procession, igniting further conflict. Subsequent arson forced many residents to seek refuge in the nearby hills.

In response, authorities in Khagrachhari and Rangamati have implemented Section 144, with Deputy Commissioner Md Shahiduzzaman indicating that the order will remain until further notice.

Protesters have also announced a 72-hour blockade of roads and waterways in Chattogram's hill districts—Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban—starting Saturday. The United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) has denounced the communal violence and supported the blockade. UPDF Vice President Natun Kumar Chakma described the attacks as "barbaric," urging the interim government to take decisive action, ensure compensation for victims, and safeguard the property and businesses of ethnic minorities.

A protest rally by the "Hill Students Movement Against Conflict and Discrimination" took place in Rangamati on Friday, where demonstrators accused Bengali settlers of attacking and incinerating shops and homes belonging to ethnic minorities.

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