Fundamentally, there has been brought in no change or progress in the totality of Human Rights situation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) although the Interim Government led by Dr. Yunus passes 11 months. As there is no initiative to end the existing human rights violations, oppression and deprivation of the Jumma people, so there is no initiative to end these injustices, and no effective and hope-generating initiative to fully implement the CHT Accord, which was signed to resolve the CHT crisis by peaceful and political means.
The implementation status of the Accord shows that two-third sections of the Accord including the core issues have not yet been implemented even passing 27 years last. As though the present Interim Government reconstituted the three Hill District Councils, appointed the Chairman of CHT Development Board and reconstituted the CHT Accord Implementation and Monitiring Committee, but no sincere initiative undertaken to address the unimplemented issues of the Accord, on part of the government is visible. The CHT Accord Implementation and Monitoring Committee was though reorganized on 12 January 2025 but no session of the said committee has been held despite passing almost six months. Consequently, the situation of human rights violation in CHT is getting escalated day by day.
It is unfortunate that instead of resolving the CHT crisis through execution of the unimplemented issues of the Accord, the government is persuading fascist policy of laying out wide-ranged militarization to addressing the CHT crisis invariably. Hence, the CHT Chapter has remained delegated to the military authority. It is by merit of the ‘Operation Uttoron’ (Operation Upliftment), the army have been regulating all the affairs of CHT including the subjects of General Administration, Law & Order, Judiciary and Development sector. This provides the army an unchallengeable access to interrupting the implementation process of the CHT Accord in various forms.
Thus, the government, with a view to nullifying the CHT Accord implementation process and over all, continuing ethnic cleansing, has been making use of all means and ways in association with state machinery, state forces, Muslim Bengali settlers, Islamic radical quarters, domesticated armed terrorist groups, land grabbers of various companies and influential individuals, development engineering, demographic engineering, etc.
From January to June 2025, 103 human rights violations were committed by security forces and law enforcement agencies deployed in the CHT, army-backed armed terrorist groups, communal and fundamentalist groups, Muslim Bengali settlers and land grabbers, and 315 Jumma people were subjected to human rights violations in these incidents. Among them, 49 people were arrested and 30 Mro children were converted to Islam. In addition, at least 300 acres of land were seized by outside companies, influential individuals and settlers.
Repression and Tyranny of Administration and Security Forces
As it has been earlier, it is due to the military rule by merit of ‘Operation Uttoron’ and military supremacy being in force, the suppressive and atrocities that have been being practiced unabatedly, includes: military campaign in the areas of their choice, searching houses of the Jumma people, extra-judicial killings, picking up, beating, keeping under detention, sending to jail on falsehood cases, ill propagation, intimidation, meting out torture, forcible land occupation, eviction of the Jumma villagers, etc.
Of the 103 incidents that occurred from January to June 2025, 48 were carried out by security forces and law enforcement agencies, resulting in at least 125 people being subjected to human rights violations and patrol operations in 34 villages. Of these, 49 were arrested, including 19 people temporarily detained, and 9 were subjected to false cases.
In April 2025, a wide-scale military campaign was conducted by the Zone Commander Lt. Colonel Mohammad Alam of 34 BIR, Ruma Garrison of Bandarban, stationed at upper reaches of the Raingkhyong river under Bortholi Union of Bilaichari Upazila. At least 200 army personnel participated in the campaign. Earlier, the army conducted similar campaign in Rainkhyong area in February, too. On the other side, military campaign was also conducted in Jurachari by the contingents under command of Major Faisal (PSC), Captain Saif and Captain Iram of Bonjogichara Army Zone in April 2025.
On 19 and 20 May 2025, several army contingents conducted joint campaign in various areas under Bandarban Sadar Upazila of Bandarban Hill District. According to the allegation, at least 9 Jumma people were beaten up; houses were searched; the villagers were threatened for leaving the country and abused in bad languages.
On 20 June 2025, the Second-in-Command of Alikadam Army Zone, Major Mohammed Manjur Morshed, PSC, led a campaign in Tonkaboti Union of Bandarban Sadar and held 9 innocent Jumma people from Lama and Alikadam Union and harassed 12 villagers for no reason. The held up 9 persons were allegedly arrested by way of planting weapons inside their houses and they were sent to jail under falsehood cases.
On 3 April 2025, the occasion of 25th Anniversary Conference and Council of Pahari Chatra Parishad (PCP), the pre-scheduled program of Jurachari Upazila Branch of Hill Students organization was nullified by the army. At the same time, the Chief Guest of the occasion Mr. Ushatan Talukder, Ex-MP and Vice President of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) with his retinue was intercepted at Bhija Hijing Army Camp, harrased and prevented from joining the conference. Following this, 4 student leaders of Jurachari Branch organization were held while 6 villagers were beaten up for no reason. Besides, the student-masses going to join the conference were prevented at the points of widely installed army check-posts.
On 15 May 2025, one Lalteng Kim Bawm (30) jailed in the Chittagong Central Jail died due to lack of medical treatment and another victim named Songmoi Bawm (55) while fell in critical sickness, was released on bail but died on 1 June 2025, the following day. Both the victims were detained in the jail for one year without trial and they were not given medical treatment despite developing to critical stage.
Activities of Army-domesticated Armed Terrorist Groups
The army are involved in raising and nurturing one after another armed terrorist groups by recruiting chosen fellows belonging to opportunists, astray-gone, criminal and indiscipline categories from among the Jumma people, mainly to obstruct the Accord implementation process. From among these groups, the notable ones are: UPDF (Prasit), Mog Party, KNF, known as Bawm party, etc. During the period of the present Interim Government, the army continues to incite these groups against the PCJSS activists and party supporters who are waging the movement demanding for immediate and full implementation of the CHT Accord. Especially, in the recent days, the UPDF-led concocted propagation, attack, killing and kidnapping trade, etc. reactionary actions against the PCJSS activists and supporters have got intensified.
The UPDF (Prasit), which pretends to be a political organization, as though has become a bankrupt entity both politically and organizationally, in recent days, it has escalated its terrorist activities freshly beginning with kidnapping of male and female students of Chittagong University and realization of ransom thereof, extortion drive, killing of innocent people sided with CHT Accord, beating ordinary village people, causing undue harassment; and more specifically, it has gone mad with nasty conspiring game of spreading fabricated tales about the implementation process of the Accord and rendering cooked information against the leadership and activists of PCJSS at home and in abroad using the social media.
In recent times, the UPDF has been spreading ill propagation entangling the names of PCJSS senior members in the acts of trafficking narcotics through social media and various dailies by hiring ‘yellow journalists.’ Since narcotics is a sensitive issue and hence, the UPDF, having the PCJSS entangled with narcotic business to gain mean objective at the cheapest, has been propagating fake information.
Of the kidnapping trade of UPDF, the most sensational event is the event that took place on 16 April 2025 wherein 5 numbers of University students were kidnapped from Giriphul area of Khagrachari. A wide storming protest arose against such kidnapping. The UPDF kept the students under its custody for one week. They meted out physical and mental harassment and threatening to them. At last, the UPDF released them at the cost of big amount in ransom. Besides, on 14 December 2024, the UPDF terrorists conducted a surprise attack upon a Wedding gathering at Hatimara village under Logang Union of Panchari Upazila from where they kidnapped 3 innocent villagers, mercilessly beat up 6-7 persons and snatched away cell phones from 50 to 60 people. In continuation, the UPDF kidnapped Nayan Jyoti Chakma and Sagor Chakma from Dhudukchara village of Panchari Upazila. After meeting their demand for a big amount, they released them.
A woman Rupasi Chakma (26) by name got killed in an aimless firing incident shot by the UPDF terrorists in Panchari and one child received bullet injury at Bangaltoli of Baghaichari. Besides, one Kamal Bikash Chakma (49), a member of PCJSS returnees as per the Accord was killed in UPDF firing at Subalong on 12 March 2025 while another one villager was injured. On 5 April 2025, one inactive UPDF member was shot to kill by the UPDF terrorists in Panchari.
From January to June 2025, 19 out of 103 incidents were carried out by army-created armed terrorist groups, resulting 95 individuals and villagers of 5 villages being subjected to human rights violations, including 3 killings. Human rights violations included kidnapping, ransom demands, beatings, killings, gunshot wounds, searches, death threats, money and mobile phone snatching, extortion demands, etc.
Forcible land occupation, eviction and communal attack
A carnival of forcible occupation of lands has been being staged in various areas including the areas under Lama, Alikadam, Naikhyongchari and Bandarban Sadar at the initiative undertaken by the various private companies and the influential individuals of government and non-government entities coming from outside CHT who are allegedly involved in occupying already possessed lands, homesteads, Jum cultivating lands, lands of crematoriums, Buddhist shrines, etc. in the name of business by growing rubber plantation, horticulture, tourism center and other business by means of applying might, forcible eviction, filing false cases and often conducting communal attacks.
From January to June 2025, out of 103 incidents, 21 were committed by Muslim Bengali settlers and land grabbers, resulting 79 Jumma victims of human rights violations including the conversion of 30 Mro children to Islam, and at least 300 acres of land being seized. Communal tensions and threats have been incited by the Parbatya Chattagram Nagarik Parishad (CHT Citizens’ Council). One of these incidents is the brutal communal attack on indigenous students and masses in Dhaka.
On 16 January 2025, a brutal and beastly communal attack was conducted at broad day light upon the ‘aggrieved indigenous student masses’ by the Muslim Bengali settlers and fundamentalist quarters under the banner titled: “Students for Sovereignty.” At this incident, at least 18 male and female students of indigenous origin received critical injuries. Likewise the earlier cases of the kind, 5 people who were involved in the incident were arrested but later on 3 of them were released on bail. No proper trial for the incident has been ascertained as yet.
In Mirinja area of Lama under Bandarban, a huge number of cottage and Restaurants have been built on the lands (hill or contour) given in leases for plantation through the government approved ‘R’ holdings. Allegations against many who occupied the lands by producing fake papers either in own names or in fake names.
At the top of Maraitong hill under Alikadam of Bandarban hill district, with the outsiders coming from Dhaka, the Jum cultivation lands and Mouza lands were illegally occupied by one Joynal Abedin, Chairman of Chokkhyong Union who asserted 30% ownership of the lands and a cottage named “Meghachura Hill Retreat and Resort” has been built by a powerful syndicate including the outsiders of Alikadam Upazila, singer Tasif Khan, Md. Masum and Md. Sakhawat Hossain who ascertained 70% ownership of the lands.
Besides, having occupied the lands of Buddhist temple in Maraitong Zadi area under Sangu Mouza – a common boundary of Alikadam and Lama under Bandarban hill district, many cottages have been raised by the people coming from outside. On the other hand, the hill slope lands located at 13/14 km area by Alikadam-Thanchi Road, adjacent to Lipjhiri Langri Karbari Para and Talu Karbari Para of Toinfa Mouza, has been occupied by Dhaka resident Rashed Morshed in exchange of huge amount of money.
Infiltration and Religious Conversion
Taking advantage of Rohingya infiltration and severe poverty, the process that leads to immoral religious conversion to Islam of the Jumma children by alluring them to have an access to education and medical treatment has been rolling on. Infiltration of the Rohingya, the citizens of Myanmar, is taking place in various areas of Bandarban district, including Bandarban Sadar in various ways and means. On 4 March 2025, during a search drive in a bus belonging to Matanuhari Poribahan, 20 Rohingyas including women and children were held. On the other side, based on a tip off, a drive was conducted in Balaghata of Bandarban sadar during which 8 Rohingyas were held on 21 May 2025.
The program of getting converted to Islam is being conducted with the Mro and Tripura indigenous people living at Poamuhari boundary area of Ward No.9 of Kurukpata Union under Alikadam Upazila of Bandarban hill district through allurement of having education and medical treatment facilities. In the Saptashish Model Academy freshly established on 19 January 2025, the children are imparted Islamic Quran to the toddler beginners in the name of Mosque and education institution. Recently, 30 number of Islam-converted Mro children have been found out in Ikkra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa in Idgaon area of Cox’s Bazaar district. Under management of a racket comprising of Fundamentalists and Religion business men, taking advantage of poverty, the Mro children hailing from various areas including Alikadam, Thanchi and Lama under Bandarban hill district have been kept under house imprisonment.
Violation against women
From January to June 2025, the trend is noticeably getting height with the crimes upon the Jumma women, such as, raping, killing after raping, attempting to rape, eve teasing and cheating by the Muslim Bengali settlers, Bengali people coming from outside, laborers, and other professional individuals. Out of 103 incidents from January to June 2025, 15 incidents of violence against Jumma women and girls were committed by state and non-state actors, and at this, 16 women were felt prey to human rights violations.
On 20 June 2025, during the military campaign conducted by Alikadam army Zone 2nd-in-Command, Major Md. Manjur Hossain, PSC, in Muktajan Tripura Para under Tankaboti Union of Bandarban Sadar Upazilla, 2 Jumma women became victims of sexual assault and 3 other women were harassed. The army personnel carried out sexual molestation upon the first 2 aforesaid women while 3 other women of advanced stage compelled to stand in the rains for a long time.
In the area closed to Khamtang Para under Rowangchari of Bandarban hill district, one mentally retarded tender aged girl (16) belongs to Khiyang indigenous group was raped by one Md. Jamal Hossain (32), a laborer coming from outside on 10 March 2025. Major Sarwar, commander of Khamtang Para Army Camp under the 5 East Bengal Regiment of the Bandarban Army Zone put pressure upon the victim’s family to compromise and not to file up case with the Police Station. Consequently, the convicted rapist gets impunity.
In the case with women violation, the most barbaric and brutal incident was the raping of one Khiyang married woman who was killed after raping. On last 5 May 2025, an indigenous Khiyang woman Chingma Khiyang (29) by name, fell prey to gang raping by the Bengali laborers and was killed after raping in the area of Ward No.8 under Tindu Union of Thanchi Upazila. The post mortem report has not yet been given to her husband, let alone the proper investigation of the incident. Thus, how the justice on the ongoing violence against the Jumma women and girls gets unavailable while the convicted are being awarded impunity. Consequently, violence upon the Jumma women is on the increase day by day.