Khagrachari, Sept 20:    More than 100 houses and shops belonging to the Chakma indigenous community were set on fire in Boalkhali, Khagrachari district, on September 19, according to the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG). The incident occurred around 5 PM and was allegedly perpetrated by illegal settlers from the plains.

Suhas Chakma, Director of RRAG, criticized the situation, stating, “With the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, lawlessness has taken hold in the country.” He pointed out that just two days earlier, Chief Advisor Mohammed Yunus had given the Bangladesh Army magisterial powers, yet army personnel stationed at nearby Dighinala Cantonment reportedly did not intervene and may have supported the attackers.

The arson has left the Dighinala Sadar area devoid of Chakma residents. This attack follows a significant protest by indigenous students, where around 40,000 people marched in Khagrachari on September 18, advocating for recognition of their rights and the preservation of their identities.

Chakma connected the violence to the recent protest, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for rights among indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The region has a complicated history of demographic changes, particularly following policies from the early 1980s that saw the resettlement of approximately 500,000 individuals from the plains.

In light of the attack, RRAG intends to alert United Nations human rights mechanisms, with Chakma stating, “The destruction of Chakma homes and shops, coupled with the lack of safety from the Yunus government, will be brought to the attention of the UN human rights bodies.”