Violent unrest has engulfed parts of southeastern Bangladesh as tensions between indigenous tribal communities and Bengali settlers escalated into deadly clashes, leaving at least three people dead and over 40 others injured over the weekend.

The spark for the violence was the alleged gang rape of a 13-year-old Marma schoolgirl in Singhinala village on September 23. According to local accounts, the child was found unconscious late at night by her parents and neighbors after reportedly being attacked on her way home from private tutoring.

Protests erupted in Khagrachhari district, one of the three administrative areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), as tribal communities demanded justice. Demonstrators blocked roads and lit fires across major intersections, prompting security forces to intervene. Although police arrested one Bengali youth in connection with the assault, community anger continued to mount.

Security Forces Open Fire During Guimara Clashes

Despite increased patrols by army units, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police, violence flared on Saturday in the Guimara sub-district—approximately 36 kilometers from the district center. Clashes there turned deadly when security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of three tribal residents, according to hospital sources. Law enforcement officials confirmed the fatalities but did not publicly identify the victims’ ethnic backgrounds.

A local journalist said the bodies were brought to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital. “Three people were killed in gunshots at Guimara. Their bodies have been kept at Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital,” Deputy Inspector General Ahsan Habib stated. Medical staff declined to specify whether the deceased were from tribal or Bengali communities.

Witnesses and human rights observers allege that, following the shooting, settler groups carried out retaliatory attacks on tribal homes, particularly in the Ramsu Bazaar area, further escalating the unrest.

RRAG Condemns Army Action

Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), a New Delhi-based human rights organisation, condemned the military’s actions. “The Bangladeshi army has responded not by arresting the accused rapists, but by attacking peaceful protestors. Today’s killings and the subsequent arson attacks carried out by illegal settlers with the army’s tacit approval suggest a premeditated attempt to terrorise indigenous communities,” said RRAG Director Suhas Chakma. The group has called on the Indian government to review its diplomatic relationship with Bangladesh in response to what it described as state-backed violence.

Injuries were also reported among security personnel. The Ministry of Home Affairs said that 13 army officers, including a major, and three police officials were wounded during the confrontation in Guimara.

In an official statement, the ministry expressed condolences for the loss of life and stated, “The Ministry of Home Affairs has expressed deep sorrow over the incident in which three hill people were killed and 13 army personnel, including a major, three policemen, including the OC of Guimara Police Station and many others were injured in an attack by miscreants in Guimara Upazila of Khagrachhari district.” The government promised a full investigation and legal proceedings against anyone found responsible, urging citizens to stay calm in the meantime.

In an effort to contain the unrest, the district administration imposed restrictions on public gatherings under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, enforcement has been inconsistent, and residents say the atmosphere remains tense. “The authorities have enforced Section 144, but a curfew-like situation prevails at Khagrachhari town as people preferred to stay indoors fearing outbreak of escalating violence,” said senior journalist Jiten Barua, who is based in the region.

The situation has raised renewed concerns about the fragile peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region home to over a dozen indigenous groups, many of whom follow Buddhism. Although a peace accord was signed in 1997 between the government and the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), unrest has periodically flared due to unresolved ethnic tensions, land disputes, and factional rivalries among tribal groups, including the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF).

The interim government under Mohammad Yunus had already suspended tourism in the region in late 2024 due to rising communal tensions, underscoring the volatility that continues to challenge peace efforts in the area.

As of now, no official statement has been issued by the military regarding the allegations of excessive force.