Tension has gripped Khagrachhari after a road blockade was called to protest the gang rape of a Marma schoolgirl. Since Saturday afternoon, clashes broke out between blockade supporters and Bengali settlers in different areas of the district headquarters, leading to police baton charges and tear gas. To contain the situation, the administration imposed Section 144 in Khagrachhari Municipality, Sadar Upazila, and Guimara Upazila for an indefinite period. Although the blockade was initially announced for the morning and evening, traffic did not resume until late at night.
The protest was triggered by the rape of an 8th-grade Marma student on the evening of September 23, while she was returning home from private tuition in the Singinala area. Jumma Chhatra-Janta called for the blockade, demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of the perpetrators.
During the blockade, confrontations erupted in the Upazila Parishad area, Mahajanpara, Chengi Square, and Narikel Bagan. Indigenous-owned shops and businesses were attacked and vandalized, and an ambulance was damaged in Alutila. Roads were blocked with burning tires and felled trees, halting all local and long-distance transport. Tourists were also stranded on their way back from Sajek.
The district administration’s Section 144 order banned gatherings, rallies, and processions. Seven platoons of police, army, and BGB were deployed. Despite this, Jumma students and local residents announced an indefinite blockade in Mahajanpara until justice is ensured. The victim’s father has filed a case at Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station, and police—with army support—arrested one suspect, Shayan Shil, who is currently on remand.
Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police Md. Arefin Jewel said law enforcement had taken measures to “defuse the tension” and urged patience. However, protesters accused the administration of protecting perpetrators and settlers instead of ensuring justice, pointing to a long pattern of impunity in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 