Communal attacks on Jummas on 27 and 28 September 2025 during a blockade called to protest the gang rape of a Jumma schoolgirl in Khagrachari
During the current January-September period of 2025, 21 violent incidents of rape, murder after rape, attempt to rape, and harassment of Jumma women and girls have been committed by Bengali settlers, outsider Bengali workers, and individuals, and so far 29 Jumma women and girls have been victims of human rights violations.
Violence against Indigenous women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is nothing new. Although the number of women and children who have been victims of these violence incidents for decades is countless, there is no single example of justice for these incidents. The incidents of violence against Indigenous women that have occurred in the Chittagong Hill Tracts over the years, especially the barbaric and demonic incidents like rape, murder after rape and kidnapping have not even been properly investigated, let alone tried.
In continuation of this, in the incident of gang-rape of a Jumma girl by Bengali settlers in the Singinala area of Khagrachari Sadar on 27 September 2025, at least 3 Jummas were seriously injured as a result of a chase and counter-chase by the Bengali settlers with the ‘Jumma Chhatra-Janata’ and on 28 September 2025, 3 Jummas were killed and at least 20 more were injured in a joint attack by the army, Bengali settlers and outsider miscreants in the Jumma settlement of Guimara Ramsu Bazar and its surroundings in Khagrachari district. In addition, 54 shops, 26 houses and 16 motorcycles of Jumma people were burnt to ashes in Ramsu Bazar. It is known that the property of the Jummas worth about 25 crore taka was damaged in this violent incident.
Beginning of the incidents:
A Marma student (12) studying in a high school was gang-raped by three Bengali settler youths in the municipality area of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila of Khagrachari district. The incident took place on 23 September 2025 between 9 PM and 11 PM on the eastern side of the Buddhist monastery under the control of Singinala Ward No. 1 of the municipality of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila. The victim is a student of class 8 of Khagrachari Government Girl High School, and her home is in Singinala Ward No. 1.
Following this incident, the victim’s father, Mongsajaing Marma (48), filed a case with Khagrachari Sadar Police Station. While filing the case, Mongsajaing Marma wanted to mention that the rapists were “Bengali settler youths”, but on the advice of the police officer on duty, he had to mention “3 unidentified people”.
According to the case report, the victim student used to go to the house of teacher Ushaching Marma in the same area for private lessons every day at around 6 pm and return home at around 9 pm. That day (September 23) she also went to the house of teacher Ushaching Marma for private lessons. But after 9:30 pm, the student’s father, worried because the student did not return home, went to the house of teacher Ushaching Marma to search for her. The student’s father, Mongsajaing Marma, came to know that his daughter had left for home at 9 pm as usual. She was supposed to reach home by then, but she did not return home.
Then, worried Mongsajaing Marma started searching for his daughter with the help of relatives and villagers. At one point in the search, at around 11 pm, the girl was found senselessly on a dirt-filled area on the eastern side of the Sashan Rakshit Buddhist monastery located in Ward No. 1 of Singinala of the Municipality. Then, water was brought and sprinkled on the senseless girl’s head and face, causing the girl to regain sense.
Then, from the statements of the girl and her father, it came out that when she reached near Sabita Chakma’s shop on her way home around 9 pm, three Bengali youths from the settlers grabbed her from behind and forcibly took her to a dirt-filled area on the east side of the Buddhist monastery. Then, by spraying anesthetic on the girl’s nose and mouth, the Bengali settlers took turns raping the girl.
Protests in various parts of the country against gang rape
In protest of the rape, protest rallies and processions were organized on September 24, 2025, by Jumma students and various organizations in Rangamati, Khagrachari, Chittagong University, and on September 25, 2025, in Bandarban, Chittagong City, and Dhaka.
Allegations against the army forcibly taking away a protesting Jumma youth
On September 25, 2025, at approximately 8:30 pm, a Jumma youth named Ukyanu Marma, who was protesting against the rape incident, was forcibly taken away from a Mundi shop in Madhupur Bazar, Khagrachari Sadar, in front of his friends by a group of army personnel. Ukyanu Marma was taken away by the army personnel who arrived in two vehicles from the 203 Infantry Brigade, Khagrachari Sadar.
According to sources, Ukyanu Marma was having Mundi with his friends at a shop near Madhupur Bazar. Later, two army vehicles suddenly arrived and forcibly dragged Ukyanu Marma away without any reason. At this time, his shirt and pants were torn.
It is learnt that Ukyanu Marma was severely beaten while being taken to an army vehicle. He was later taken to the army cantonment and interrogated in the presence of the zone commander, Lieutenant Colonel Khademul Islam, and two high-ranking army officers.
At this time, the incident created widespread outrage on social media. At one point, the student community announced a strong program with an ultimatum if Ukyanu Marma was not released, and due to widespread public outrage, the army was forced to release him at around 10 pm. Ukyanu Marma is known to be the general secretary of the Khagrachari district branch of the Bangladesh Marma Students Council (BMSC).
It is worth mentioning that protest programs were held in various parts of the country, including the three hill districts, following the gang rape of an 8th grade student of Khagrachari Government Girls’ High School by three settler Bengalis. It is known that Ukyanu Marma was leading general students in Khagrachari at the time of the incident. Many believe that Ukyanu Marma was taken away by the army for protesting the rape.
Call for a blockade in Khagrachari
On September 26, 2025, a rally was organized under the banner of ‘Jumma Chhatra-Janata’ at Khagrachari Sadar to protest the gang rape and against the oppression of all women in the hills. The protesters demanded the arrest of the rapists within 48 hours and a road blockade was declared in the entire Khagrachari district from 5 am to 6 pm on September 27, 2025.
Section 144 imposed in Khagrachari blockade, attack on Jummas by Bengali settlers
A dawn to dusk road blockade program was held in Khagrachari district on September 27, 2025. No major clashes or attacks were reported during this blockade in the morning.
However, at around 10 am, a chase and counter-chase began between the Bengali settlers and the Jumma students who were blocking the Narankhaiya area of Khagrachari Sadar, which continued until around 3 pm. However, no one was reported injured at that time.
In this incident, Khagrachari District Magistrate ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker expressed the extreme deterioration of the law-and-order situation and the fear of damage to people’s lives and property and ordered the imposition of Section 144 in Khagrachari Municipality and Sadar Upazila from 2 pm until further instructions. At 3 pm, an order was also issued to impose Section 144 in Guimara upazila of the district.
But later, a few hours after the order was issued, organized attacks by Bengali Settlers began in various areas of Jumma people. At least 3 people were seriously injured in this incident. The injured persons are: (1) Rikon Chakma alias Barize (29), s/o Bhakta Chakma, address-Ranipara, Boradam, Dighinala Upazila; (2) Kumia Tripura (25), address-Amtali, Kamalchari, Khagrachari Sadar Upazila and (3) Kongsai Marma alias Mongsaong (22), address-Amtali, Kamalchari, Khagrachari Sadar Upazila.
Among the injured in the attack on Jumma people by Bengali settlers, Rikon Chakma was shifted from Khagrachari Parkside Hospital to Chittagong in a seriously injured condition. Rikon Chakma is a pick-up driver by profession. It is learnt that he received 17 stitches on his head at Khagrachari Hospital. He was injured by sharp weapons from Bengali settlers in the Narankhaiya area.
It is learnt that after Section 144 was imposed at 2 pm, a group of Bengali settlers attacked Mahajan Para in Khagrachari Sadar at around 4 pm with sharp weapons, spikes, and metal bullets. During this, there was a chase and counter-chase between the settlers and the Jumma students of Mahajan Para for several hours. During this, the Bengali settlers themselves attacked and vandalized an ambulance, and later they spread propaganda on social media that the Jummas had attacked and vandalized it.
In addition, a group of settlers threw bricks and slingshots at the Jumma people from the dome and roof of the Upazila Model Mosque which was under construction with foreign funding. During this time, they used lead and abandoned gun bullets as slingshot bullets. Not only that, the settlers themselves were also known to have broken some of the glass of the mosque and then spread propaganda that the Jummas had broken it.
Despite the imposition of Section 144, two more groups of Bengali settlers became organized around 7 pm and attacked Jumma people in the Ganja Para village, which is inhabited by Jummas, and in the area adjacent to the Youngdow Buddhist Monastery in the Khagrachari Bazar area.
During this time, Kumiya Tripura and Kongsai Marma alias Mongsaong Marma were seriously injured in the Yongdow Bouddha Bihara area due to sharp weapons and sticks of the Bengali settlers. Later, they were admitted to Khagrachari Sadar Hospital in serious condition.
Around 8 pm on the same day, it was learnt that another group of Bengali settlers took up positions near the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters near the Khagrachari Stadium. In addition, the army set up a new check post and dug some bunkers near the stadium.
Violent attacks and arson on Jummas on second day of blockade in Guimara
On September 28, 2025, the second day of the dawn to dusk road blockade program was observed in Khagrachari district under the banner of ‘Jumma Chhatra-Janata’ to protest the rape case and demanded the arrest of all rapists. On this day, from morning to around 4 pm, a fierce attack was carried out on the Jummas who were blocking the road and, on their houses, and settlements in Guimara upazila of the district. In addition, the army baton-charged at four places in the Khagrachari Sadar area.
That morning, a group of Jumma students and the public were blocking the road in front of the food warehouse in the upazila adjacent to Ramesu Bazar in Guimara, trying to hold a program.
At one point, a group of army personnel, a group of Bengali Settlers, and some masked armed outsiders arrived there. At first, the army took the initiative to push the Jumma students off the road. This led to a verbal altercation between the army members and the students who were blocking the road. The army then forcibly dispersed the student gathering.
At around 12 noon, a chase and counter-chase began between the army and the Bengali settlers and the picketing student-masses. In the meantime, the Bengali settlers started setting fire to shops, houses and motorcycles in Ramesu Bazar and the surrounding Jumma areas. This led to a chase and counter-chase between both sides.
Meanwhile, at one stage of the chase and counter-chase, a section of the student-masses started throwing bricks and stones at the army from behind. During this chase and counter-chase by both sides, it was learnt from multiple eyewitnesses that at around 1 pm, the army and masked miscreants opened fire one after another on the Jumma student-masses who were picketing. Three people, Akhra Marma (22), Thowaiching Marma (20) and Athuipru Marma (21), were killed in the firing by the army and their associates. Eleven army personnel were also injured by the bricks and stones thrown by the blockaders. The attack by the army, Bengali settlers and masked miscreants is said to have lasted until 4 pm.
On the other hand, according to an eyewitness who did not want to be named, the owner of a shop that was burnt in the market said that at least 3 Jummas were killed in the firing and attacks by the settlers. According to him, some were killed and thrown into the shop fire and burnt to ashes. In addition, at least 5 Jummas are still missing. The names of three of them are-Thoyching Marma, Chingpru Marma and Athuipru Marma.
At least 20 Jumma men and women were seriously injured in the firing by the army and miscreants and the attack by Bengali settlers. At least 11 of them were admitted to Khagrachari Sadar Hospital and 1 was reportedly transferred to Chittagong in a critical condition. Of the 20 injured, 16 have been identified.
In addition, 54 shops, 26 houses and 16 motorcycles belonging to Jummas were burnt to ashes in Ramesu Bazar. It is learnt that Jummas’ property worth around Tk 25 crore was damaged.
Army baton-charges in Khagrachari Sadar: An elderly woman injured
On the same day (September 28), army personnel of the Khagrachari Brigade suddenly and violently baton-charged Jumma people at least in four places in Khagrachari Sadar. The army first baton-charged Jummas in the Swanirbhar Bazar area around 8 am. Then, suddenly appeared in the Giriful, Manigram and Kurdiachara areas and beat up any Jumma villagers they found. During this time, especially in the Kurdiachara area, a 70-year-old Jumma woman, Abaima Marma (70), of Ugalchari, Panchari, was baton-charged and left bleeding.
On September 28, 2025, at 10:00 am, a group of the army went to Jurmarong Bazar in Bhaibonchara and ordered the closure of shops. At that time, Panchari College teacher Junan Chakma (38), s/o Darshan Chakma, a resident of Ward No. 6 of Bhaibonchara Union, was physically tortured. Rural doctor Jyoti Shankar Chakma (42), s/o Amiya Chakma, was beaten up too.
UPDF’s provocation in Khagrachari and Guimara incidents
According to various sources, peaceful protest rallies and processions were organized in various parts of the country to protest the gang rape of a Jumma girl by Bengali settlers in Khagrachari. On September 26, 2025, a mass gathering was organized at Khagrachari sadar under the banner of ‘Jumma Chhatra-Janata’ to protest the said gang rape and against the oppression of all women in the hills. But it was alleged that some people from the UPDF entered the mentioned program and started disrupting the gathering in various ways and inciting it. Similarly, it is known from various sources that the Guimara incident also took a violent turn due to the incitement of the UPDF.
In the protest of the gang rape of the Jumma girl in Khagrachari, the Bangladesh Marma Student Council (BMSC), Khagrachari District General Secretary, Ukyanu Marma initially led the movement, but later on 27 and 28 September 2025, Bangladesh Marma Student Council (BMSC) issued a statement stating that it was not organizationally connected to the blockade programs. As a result, it was understood that to divert the movement of protesting the gang rape of the Jumma woman, some people of the UPDF incited the students’ movement in various ways. In addition, a couple of bloggers and individuals known as supporters, advisors and associates of the UPDF, who are based in the country and abroad, were also seen making various divisive, provocative, and incendiary statements on social media.
Conclusion
The ongoing communal attacks and arson incidents in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are nothing new. Since the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord in 1997, at least 22 communal attacks have taken place in the Chittagong Hill Tracts under the patronization of vested interested groups. The main objective of such communal attacks is to turn the non-Muslim-dominated Chittagong Hill Tracts into a Muslim-dominated region and to that end, to economically harm the Jumma people, to forcibly occupy the Jummas’ land, to evict them from their ancestral lands, to rape Jumma women, to kill them after rape, and above all, to instill terror among the Jummas.
In fact, there is no alternative to implementing the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, which was signed with the aim of finding a political and peaceful solution to the Chittagong Hill Tracts problem. The path to solving the Chittagong Hill Tracts problem lies in the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord.
Recommendations:
- To take measures for judicial inquiry into the communal attacks that took place in Khagrachari and Guimara on 27 and 28 September, 2025.
- To provide appropriate compensation and medical treatment to the persons killed and wounded and the affected families, on the part of government.
- To bring those involved in the communal attacks in Khagrachari-Guimara under the law and ensure illustrative punishment.