No progress has taken place on implementation issue of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord (CHT Accord) of 1997 even during the tenure of Dr. Yunus-led Interim government. Hence, two-third sections of the Accord including core issues have remained unimplemented as to this day. It is for not having the Accord implemented, the human rights situation has further deteriorated in 2025. The year has witnessed altogether 268 incidents of human rights violations and 606 men, women and children of Jumma origin have fallen prey to such violent incidents perpetrated by the security forces and law enforcement forces deployed in CHT, army-backed armed terrorist elements, communal & fundamental quarters, Rohingya armed militants, Muslim Bengali settlers and the land grabbers and patrolling operations have been conducted in 193 Jumma-inhabited villages. During occurrences in 2025, 8 Jumma people were killed; 117 innocent Jumma persons arrested; 43 houses including 2 Buddhist temple searched; 32 women and girls came under violent assaults; and 30 children of Mro indigenous origin converted to Islam in various Madrasas in the name of extending free education and medical facilities. The incidents include two wide-scale brutal communal attacks and arson attacks upon the Jumma Jumma people. Besides, at least 300 acres of lands owned by the Jumma people were illegally occupied by several companies from outside, influential Muslim individuals and settlers.
In the reform process including the constitution reform being conducted by the interim government, indigenous communities, as well as religious and ethnic minorities, have been excluded from the discussions. The religious and national minorities had an expectation that the prevalent points of discrimination and repression would be identified and in order to address them, a separate Minority Commission would be constituted to obtain recommendations for proper steps. But so far, no Commission for religious and national minorities has been formed. Also, no provisions for representation of the religious and national minorities including the indigenous peoples were defined in the commissions that were simultaneously formed. Even no space for the representative representing the minority people including indigenous peoples was accommodated in the Constitution Reform Commission. The Commission even felt no necessity to discuss with the representatives of minority people and indigenous peoples on the discriminations being meted out to them. On the other hand, also nothing was mentioned about the religious and national minority communities including the implementation of CHT Accord in the July Charter ˗˗ phenomenon, which upholds a crystal-clear indication of utter discrimination towards the indigenous peoples and minority communities.
(a) Implementation of CHT Accord:
As the implementation process of CHT Accord was already in pause, the process has attained no headway also in the year 2025. However, as a part of implementation of the Accord, the Yunus-led Interim government has entrusted Touhid Hossain, the Advisor of Foreign Affairs Ministry, as the Convener of CHT Accord Implementation and Monitoring Committee on 12 January 2025 and appointed Muhammad Abdul Hafiz, Justice (Retired) of Appellate Division of Supreme Court, as the Chairman of CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission on 28 August 2025. Besides, Major General (Rtd) Anup Kumar Chakma was appointed as the Chairman of CHT Development Board on 20 January 2025. Meanwhile, a meeting of the CHT Accord Implementation and Monitoring Committee was held on 19 July 2025. But there has been made no progress in execution of the resolutions adopted in the session despite passing almost 6 months since holding of the meeting.
The most remarkable trendy incident that overwhelmed throughout the year 2025 is incitement of the Muslim Bengali settlers and fundamentalist groups to obstruct the CHT Accord implementation process. Having the Muslim Bengali settlers, fundamentalist groups and radicalist groups organized, they have been unleashing to act against the CHT Accord under various banners, namely, Parbtaya Chattagram Nagorik Parishad (CHT Citizens Council), Parbatya Chattagram Chhatra Parishad (CHT Students Council), Parbatya Chattagram Somo Odhikar Andolon (CHT Equal Rights Movement), Students for Sovereignty, Dialogue for Peace of Chittagong Hill Tracts (DPC), Sarbhabhoumatta Surakkha Parishad (Sovereignty Protection Council), Boishomyobirodhi Parbatya Chattagram Oikyo Parishad (Anti-Discrimination CHT Unity Council), Parbatya Chattagram Ainjibi Forum (CHT Lawyers Forum), CHT Sompriti Manch (CHT Harmony Platform), etc. With an ill intention to raise demand for cancellation of CHT Accord and obstruct the implementation process of the CHT Accord, while making use of these offshoot organizations, seminars, rallies and human chains are being organized and spread a variety of confusing and cooked provoking information and narratives.
For instance, after appointing Chairman of Land Dispute Resolution Commission, a meeting was scheduled to be held on 19 October 2025. But the session of the Commission had to be declared as postponed under threat of resistant strike pronounced by the army-backed Parbatya Chattagram Chhatra Parishad (PCCP), a student platform of the Muslim Bengali settlers. Similarly, the 12th Session of the Task Force for rehabilitation of India-returnee refugees and Internally displaced Jumma families, the meeting, which was scheduled to be held on 22 October 2025, also had to be postponed under the threat of the Muslim settlers. Not only that, the appointment drive of primary school teachers as per law of the Rangamati Hill District Council, also had to be postponed in the face of prevention and strike of the Muslim Bengali settlers. Thus, any initiative taken to implement the Accord is gotten obstructed by inciting of the Bengali settlers and communal forces through patronization of the state machineries. It is notable that the cases with the recent incidents, no effective lawful action was taken by the administration against the Muslim Bengali settlers for preventing the government programs. Rather, it has been observed that by playing the role of indifference on part of the administration, the settlers were thereby provided cooperation under cover.
It is worthy that the CHT Accord was signed between the government and PCJSS on 2 December 1997 in order to resolve the CHT crisis by political and peaceful means. After signing of the Accord in 1997, as though 5 political and 2 Caretaker governments ascended to the state power, no government paced forward with a good gesture in implementing the Accord. Following the preceding governments, also the Yunus-led Interim government has not come up with effective measures in implementing the Accord. Consequently, though it passes 28 years after signing of the Accord, two-third sections of the Accord including the core issues have remained untouched as yet.
Of the core issues, especially, the most important ones that have been left at the bay include: devolvement of subjects to CHT Regional Council and three Hill District Councils under Special Administrative System as conferred therein CHT Accord and to hold elections in the Councils having prepared the Electoral Roll with the permanent residents; to ensure return of the dispossessed lands to the Jumma owners through settlement of disputes; to withdraw the temporary military camps including the ‘Operation Uttoron’; to rehabilitate the India-returnee refugees and Internally displaced Jumma families in their own lands after returning their lands to them; to undertake legal and administrative measures to preserve the tribal-inhabited feature of the region; to appoint the permanent residents in all jobs available in CHT with priority preference to the Jumma people; to constitute the local Police Force with the permanent residents; and to remove the Muslim Bengali settlers from the occupied lands of the Jumma people and to rehabilitate them in the plains, etc.
(b) Human Rights Situation:
It is for not having the CHT Accord implemented, the human rights situation in CHT is gradually deteriorating day by day. Likewise, the earlier governments, the Yunus-led Interim government also has been persuading the same policy of wide-range militarization through repressive fascist manner, in place of resolving the CHT crisis through implementation of the Accord by peaceful and political means. The measures of persecution and repression continue unabatedly upon the organizations and individuals including the PCJSS engaged in the movement for implementation of the Accord in a process that involves criminalization by tagging ‘terrorists’, ‘separatists,’ ‘illegal arms holders’; entangling them in fabricated cases; making arrests and sending them to jail; meting out inhuman torture and harassment; practicing extra-judicial killings, etc.
1. Extra-judicial Killings:
Out of 268 incident committed in 2025, 163 incidents of human rights violations were committed by security and law enforcement forces, and 224 Jumma people were victims of these human rights violations. The tenure of Yunus-led Interim government is also of no exception with the previous governments in regard to exercise extra-judicial killings that continues unabatedly. In the protest against raping of one Marma girl, it led to death of 3 Jumma youths by bullet shot by the army and with other incidents, there are altogether 8 Jumma persons died in 2025. The matter that raises most serious concern is the killing incidents that have so far not been brought under trial and even no case has been filed to that effect.
While protesting against raping of the Marma girl on 28 September 2025, three Marma protestors namely, Aprue Marma (22), Thowaiching Marma (20) and Athuiprue Marma (21) died in firing shot by the army and their associates. In another incident, one Shubha Chakma (19) was beaten to death at the hands of the Border Guard Bangladesh solders of Kojoichari BGB camp in Baghaichari Upazila of Rangamati Hill District on 11 August 2025. The BGB personnel involved in the killing were given immunity based on their explanatory version saying that the incident had been mere an accident. Following the above incident, another one Kongchaineo Marma (31) died in bullet hitting shot by the army at Shantinagar of Khagrachari Upazila Sadar on 15 August 2025. Additionally, three members of the Bawm community—Lal Thleng Kim Bawm (29) on May 15, 2025, Lal Sangmoy Bawm (55) on May 31, 2025, and Van Lal Rual Bawm (35) on July 17, 2025—were killed in prison custody due to not provide medical treatment.
In the previous year on 19 September 2024, 3 Jumma people were shot death by the army and another 1 was killed by the Muslim Bengali settlers about which no case was filed and none was arrested in connection with the killing even after passing one year. As though an Investigation Committee was formed to look into the matter, but no report has yet been made available. Though 2 cases were filed on killing of 1 Jumma youth and setting fire in the CHT Regional Council office, the main culprits have not been brought to trial even passing one year. In connection with the incidents, though 5 persons were arrested under suspicion, 4 of them were released on bail.
2. Arbitrary Arrest:
The security forces continue to arrest the innocent Jumma people irrespectively as repressive measure. The innocent Jumma people are being arrested in a process that involves stealthily planting weapon, entangling them in false cases and on pleas of being involved in terrorist act and extortion. Altogether 117 Jumma people were arrested in the year 2025 and 47 of them were released after keeping them under detention while rest of 70 persons were sent to the jail.
On 3 August 2025, 3 Jumma men were arrested from Naikkhyong Para of Bolipara Union under Thanchi Upazila by the army of Nilgiri camp under Bandarban Sadar Zone. It was learnt that the army planted 1 piece of local-made gun and 5 pellets and then the army arrested them. Again, on 26 August 2025, 17 Jumma villagers living in remote villages of Moidung Union and Dumdumya Union under Jurachari Upazila of Rangamat Hill District, were held by the army during a military operation. The army personnel meted out severe beating and torture.
Of the arrest occurences, centering the case filed by land grabber named Lama Rubber Industries, one Ringrong Mro was arrested by a group of police personnel in civil dress from Quantum area of Soroi Union under Lama Upazila on 22 February 2025. The occurrence involves a factual reality that the villagers filed a case against the Lama Rubber Industries of allegation of pouring pesticide poison in the streamlet, the only water-point of the villagers. But however, the police did undertake no action against the alleged persons. On the contrary, rather the police continued to arrest the Mro and Tripura villagers as per allegation in connection with the case counter-filed by the Lama Rubber Industries.
Having imposed the whole responsibility of armed terrorist activities of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) upon the Bawm community people, 142 people of Bawm origin were arrested in 2024. Of them, though 83 people have been released in 2025, yet 59 men, women and children have been kept in the jail without trial. From among the jailed Bawms, 3 sick persons died as they were denied of medical treatment in the year 2025. The Bawm people numbering some 3,000 persons had to take refuge in Mizoram State of India in the face of atrocities by both army and KNF terrorists. The said Bawm people have not yet been repatriated to their own lands.
3. Military Operation, Searching Houses, Physical Torture and Harassment
Conducting operation every nook and cranny has become a routine for the army deployed in CHT. During operation, the army get involved in the activities of anti-humanity that include: searching houses and vandalizing the household articles, beating, harassment, threatening, inflicting injuries, detention, etc. In 2025, the army and BGB conducted operations at least in 193 Jumma-inhabited villages. During these operations, beating, threatening and inflicting injuries, at least 65 Jumma people became victims while they searched and vandalized 43 houses. Apart from it, at least 117 people were held and detained.
Some of the instances are: on 20 May 2025, while conducting operation in the areas of Sualok, Tonkaboti and Chimbuk under Commander Mobarak, a group of army from Sualok-Amtoli army camp of Bandarban Sadar Upazila, they picked up 6 Jumma villagers from Chinipara of Tonkaboti and took them to Brickfield Army camp where the they were severely beaten up. On 6 August 2025, the army conducted wide-scale operation in the areas under Ruma and Thanchi Upazillas under Bandarban Hill District Council and arrested at least 1 Jumma person, beat up 2 persons and searched various houses for no reason. From 11 August to 13 August 2025, one Commander from 38 BIR Army Zone who led a group of army together with local BGB camp personnel conducted a thorough search at Battolipara, Bamonipara, Borpara of Chitmorom and surrounding areas of traditional Chitmorom Buddhist temple in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati hill district.
The army, while holding the entire Bawm community responsible for terrorist activities of KNF, has imposed hardened restrictions on their mobility, buying from and selling of commodities in the market. They needed to obtain written permission from the army authority for purchasing of day-to-day consumable commodities. The farmers have to collect written permission from the army authority to sell their agro-produces in the market. Permission also requires for travelling from Bandarban to various places including Chittagong and Dhaka. This restriction imposed by the military still is in force for the community.
4. Communal Attacks:
In 2025, two wide-ranging and vicious communal attacks were conducted upon the Jumma indigenous people. On 16 January 2025, the Muslim Bengali settlers in league with fundamentalist groups conducted fierce and barbaric communal attacks upon the rallies of ‘Aggrieved Indigenous Student-Masses’ in Dhaka under the banner titled: ‘Students for Sovereignty’. At least 18 indigenous students of males and females and youths received fatal injuries. Though 5 persons were arrested in connection with the incident, later, 3 persons were released on bail. Trial of the incidents has not yet been ascertained.
During the observation of strike called by the ‘Jumma-Students Masses’ in protest against gang-rape of a minor age Marma girl by the Muslim Bengali settlers in Chenginala area of Khagrachari municipality, the Muslim Bengali settlers backed by the army conducted ruthless communal and arson attacks upon the Jumma people on 27 and 28 September, 2025. At this, as a result of chasing and counter-chasing between ‘Jumma-Students Massess’ and the invading settlers, 3 Jumma youths received fatal injuries at Khagrachari Sadar on 27 September; and at Guimara’s Ramsu Bazar of Khagrachari Hill District, 3 Jummas got killed and more than 20 people sustained fatal injuries on 28 September under repeated attacks jointly conducted by the army, Bengali settlers and unidentified miscreants coming from outside. The attack was followed by setting fire in the Jumma shops at Ramsu Bazar during which 54 shops, 26 houses and 16 motor cycles belonged to the Jumma people got ablazed. It was learnt that the incident caused loss of BDT 25 crore (250 million).
Though there occurred communal attacks and 3 Jumma youths were killed in army firing, but it was the quite reverse; the police filed 3 separate cases against the Jumma people on allegation of violence and vandalization. Of the cases, one was filed with Khagrachari Police Station while the other two cases were filed with Guimara Police Station. The cases against the Jumma people were fortified with allegations of killing, vandalization, attack upon police and causing riot by breaching Section-144. Some 600 to 700 unknown Jumma people were entangled in the case filed with Khagrachari Police Station while 250-300 Jumma people were entangled in two cases with allegation of killing 3 persons and attacking upon the police force. On the contrary, no case was filed on part of the Jumma people.
5. illegal land occupation, Infiltration and Religious Conversion
In the name of growing rubber plantation, horticulture and establishment of tourist centers, incidents of forcible occupation of funeral yards, Buddhist temples, Jum-cultivation lands in Lama, Alikadam, Naikhyongchari and Bandarban sadar Upazilas of Bandarban Hill District continues at the initiative of various outside companies together with influential individuals of government and non-government entities by using the administrative tools, such as, forcible eviction, filing up false cases, carrying out communal attacks and setting fire in the dwelling houses, etc.
From among the 268 incidents occurred in 2025, 41 incidents were carried out by the Muslim Bengali settlers and land grabbers in which 228 Jumma people including religious conversion of 30 Mro children fell prey to human rights violations and at least 300 acres of lands were illegally occupied.
The influx of Rohingya into Bandarban is continuing unabated. Myanmar citizens, the Rohingya infiltration continues to take place in various areas of Bandarban Hill District including Bandarban sadar by various means and ways. During the infiltration, the police detained only 67 Rohingyas. The Rohingya infiltrators had escaped from Cox’s Bazar Ukhiya Refugee camp to settle in Bandarban. Meanwhile, in 2025, the Rohingya armed militant group ARSA-ASO abducted three Tanchangya villagers from Ghumdhum in Naikhyongchari and killed them later.
Taking advantage of impact arising out of extreme poverty, the Islamic mission of religious conversion has become active to carry out conversion immorally by alluring them to free education and medical facilities. Islamization is being institutionalized with children belonging to Mro and Tripura indigenous communities living along Poamuri boundary line under Ward No 19 of Kurukpata Union of Alikadam Upazila under Bandarban Hill District in which a process involves in allurement of providing free education and medical treatment. In the name of education, the innocent indigenous children are being imparted education on the Quran and Hadith in the Poamuri Saptashish Model Academy Mosque-cum-educational institution that has recently been established on 19 January 2025. 30 Mro children who were converted to Islam have been discovered studying in Ikkra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa at Idgaon of Cox’s Bazar District. A racket of fundamentalist and religion traders taking advantage of extreme poverty collects non-Muslim indigenous children from various areas including Alikadam, Thanchi and Lama upazilas to convert them to Islam while offering free educational opportunity – an academic mechanism that keeps the children confined to houses.
In some other incidents in 2025, the Arakan Rohigya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) militants, militant groups of Rohingya people kidnapped 2 Tanchangya ethnic villagers and killed them. The RSO and ARSA terrorist outfits also kidnapped Wamong Marma, a villager, from Bhalukia of Ghundhum Union under Naikkhyongchari Upazila of Bandarban Hill District on 23 September 2025 and one Sumon Tanchangya, a Jum cultivator from Gorjonbonia of No-8 Ward under Ghundum Union of Naikhyongchari Upazila on 8 October 2025. Before these incidents, the Rohinhya militants kidnapped two native Jumma men namely, Chhoihla Mong Tanchangya (29) and Kyaw Mongkho Tanchangya (25) from No.5 Sluice Gate of Hoaikhyang Naf River of Taknaf Upazila under Cox’s Bazar district – the duo who went out for catching crabs became kidnapping victims. A complaint was lodged with nearby BGB camp authority but no effective measure was taken.
6. Violence upon Women:
The gravity of raping Jumma women and girls, killing after raping, attempting to rape, eve teasing, deception, etc. committed by Bengali settlers, Bengali laborers and individuals coming from outside, has gotten intensified to further extent. Of the 268 incidents, 26 crimes of sexual violence upon Jumma women and children in 2025, perpetrated by the individuals of state machineries and non-state entities have been reported and, in all cases, 32 women were victimized.
On 29 September 2025, one Jumma minor age girl was gang-raped by 3 Bengali settlers in Singinala area of Khagrachari Hill District. Mongsajai Marma, father of the victim, himself filed a case with Khagrachari Sadar Police Station. While filing the case, the victim’s father as though intended to mention the culprits as ‘rapists were youths of Bengali settlers’ but on insisting advice of the police officer-on-duty, Mongsajai Marma had to mention as ‘3 rapists were unidentified.’ The most hair-raising incidents were that while protest rallies were being staged by the Jumma people on 27-28 September 2025, the well-organized Muslim Bengali settlers, with support and guidance of the army, conducted communal attacks upon the Jumma people and set fire in their dwellings and shops.
On 20 June 2025, a group of army led by Alikadam Army Zone 2nd-in-Command, Major Mohammad Manjur Morshed PSC conducted an operation at Muktangan Tripura Para of Tankaboti Union under Bandarban Sadar Upazila during which 2 Jumma women were molested and 3 women at their advanced stage were physically tortured. The two women were assaulted by way of touching their private parts while the 3 pregnant women were made stand in the rains for a long time.
On 10 March 2025, a mentally-retarded minor age girl (16) belonged to Khiyang ethnic community was raped by Mohammad Jamal Hossain (32) in Khamta Para area of Rowangchari Upazila and following the incident, Major Sarwar, Commander of Bandarban 5 East Bengal Regiment Khamta Para Camp, went to victim’s house and pressurized the family for settling the issue through social negotiation and not to file case with the police station. As a result, the convicted Jamal Hossain got immunity from trial.
Of the incidents involving violence against women, the most brutal and barbaric one was the incident of raping a Khiyang house wife who was raped and killed after raping. On 5 May 2025, Chingma Khiyang (29), an indigenous Khiyang woman, was raped and killed by a Muslim Bengali laborer in that evening in No-8 Ward area under Tindu Union of Thanchi Upazila. The biopsy report of the victim has not yet been provided to her husband as proper investigation is not conducted or hidden for Indigenous women. Justice on the recurring violence upon women and girls have not been established as yet and rather the culprits involved in the incidents are being set free. Consequently, sexual violations upon the Jumma women are heightening day by day.
7. Repression, kidnapping and realization of ransom by UPDF
With a view to obstructing the Accord-implementation process, the army have been persuading a policy of forming up one after another armed terrorist group with some individuals who are categorically opportunists, collaborators and undisciplined but existing in the indigenous societies. The UPDF (Prosit), Mog Party, Bawm-Party-known KNF, etc.are some examples of the military’s heinous acts.
During the tenure of Interim government, too, the army are inciting these armed terrorist groups against the PCJSS activists and supporters engaged in the movement for implementation of the Accord. Especially, in recent days, concocted propagation and spreading ill narratives on the PCJSS activists and supporters, killing, kidnapping trade, etc. have gotten intensified.
The Anti-Accord UPDF (Prasit Group), though suffering from political and organizational bankruptcy in the year 2025, they have yet intensified various terrorist activities that include: kidnapping a group of Chittagong University students and realizing ransom, extortion, killing people sided with the Accord, meting out physical torture upon innocent common villagers, etc. and especially, they have been found engaged in playing nasty conspiring games at home and in abroad against the implementation process of the Accord and PCJSS leaders and activists by resorting to conspiration involving character assassination, spreading concocted tales, rendering fake information and so on.
In recent days, the UPDF is found busy with propagation driven through yellow journalism in dailies and social media having portrayed the names of PCJSS senior members as cross-border narcotic traffickers. Since, narcotic is a highly sensitive issue and hence, the UPDF has been launching propagation of fake information alleging the PCJSS to have involved in cross-border narcotic trafficking business, to achieve their mean objective of public attention.
Of the kidnapping trade being run by UPDF, the most sensational one was the kidnapping of 5 Chittagong University students who were kidnapped from Giriphool area of Khagrachari town on 16 April 2025. The kidnapping incident gave rise to storm of protestation. The UPDF detained the victims for a week-long period of time. They meted out physical and mental torture upon the victims. Later on, the UPDF released them in exchange of a big amount.
Besides, the record also reveals that the UPDF (Prasit Group) terrorists had kidnapped 3 employees working for Robi Mobile Network and after 7 months, they released them in exchange of a ransom amounting to BDT 6 crore. On 14 December 2024, the UPDF terrorists carried out a surprise encirclement upon a mass gathering attending wedding occasion in Hatimara village of Logang Union under Panchari Upazila. They kidnapped 3 innocent persons, meted out severe beating to 6-7 persons and snatched away cell phones from 50-60 persons. Besides, the UPDF terrorists also kidnapped Nayan Jyoti Chakma and Sagor Chakma from Dhudukchara village on 8 January 2025 and they later released them after receiving a big amount in ransom.
One Rupasi Chakma (26), a house wife living in Panchari died in spraying of fire shot by UPDF terrorists and a child was seriously injured in another similar case in Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati Hill District. Besides, Kamal Bikash Chakma (49), a member of PCJSS returnees back to normal life after CHT Accord died in bullet hitting while another villager got bullet injury shot by the UPDF terrorists at Subhalong on 12 March 2025. The UPDF terrorist also shot one of their inactive members to death in Panchari on 5 April 2025.
August 2025 has been a reign of suffocating situation for the residents of Dighinala and Panchari Upazilas of Khagrachari Hill District as there has been harassing and formidable military campaigns in one hand while UPDF’s (Prasit) restrictions and embargo on buying and selling day-to-day consumable goods in 27 Jumma villages associated with arbitrary beating, imposition of penalty and various forms of repression, on the other. Consequently, mass suffering went on beyond tolerance.
Thus, the year 2025 witnessed a horrific year of 268 incidents, out of which 33 incidents of human rights violation committed by the army-sponsored terrorist groups and in those incidents, including the killing of 3 persons, 122 persons and the inhabitants of 27 villages became prey to human rights violation. The human rights violations, among other, includes: kidnapping, realization of ransom, beating, killing, searching, threatening of killing, snatching away money and cell phones, pressure for extortion and so on.