On 19-20 February 2010; Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers attacked the indigenous people at Baghaichari leaving an indigenous man dead. The aim of the attack was to drive out the indigenous Chakma Buddhists and grab their land. The indigenous Buddhist man gunned down by the Bangladesh army.

Bangladesh army collaborators murder 7 indigenous people in Khagrachari

On 18 August 2018, Bangladesh army collaborators murdered 7 indigenous people including 4 members of United Peoples’ Democratic Front at two places in Khagrachari.

The first gun attack took place in front the UPDF central office at Swanirbhar Bazar in Khagrachari town, adjacent to the Swanirbhar Bazar police camp and about 50 metres away from Border Guard Bangladesh sector headquarters at about 8:30am leaving 6 people killed and seven others critically injured.

The second attack near Perachhara Bridge, about four kilometres away from Swanirbhar Bazar, at about 12:30pm on a procession of UPDF leaders and activists, that was marching towards Khagrachari town protesting at the earlier attack, killed one more UPDF activist and injured at least three others.

The murders took to 22 the number of leaders and activists of CHT-based regional political parties killed by Bangladesh army collaborators in three and half months since May 3.

The six people killed in the first attack on 18 August were identified as:

1. Tapan Chakma (25), Khagrachari district Pahari Chhatra Parishad president
2. Elton Chakma (32), assistant secretary
3. Palash Chakma Barun (32), Democratic Youth Forum district vice-president
4. Jitayan Chakma (52), Mahalchhari upazila health assistant who was passing by the area during the attack
5. Rupam Chakma (25), Swanirbhar area residents
6. Dheraj Chakma Anupam (35), textile engineer

The deceased in the second attack was UPDF activist San Kumar Chakma.

Samar Bikash Chakma (48), Sakiran Chakma (35), Sumon Chakma (32), Pahari Chhatra Parishad leader Sohel Chakma (25), Dwitan Chakma (22), Ferester Tripura (35), and Chisi Moni Chaka (25) were injured in the first attack while UPDF activists Urmi Chakma (21), Minu Chakma (33) and Sona Ranjan Chakma (43) were injured in the second attack.

A group of 8-10 Bangladesh army collaborators opened fire indiscriminately at the central office of United People’s Democratic Front and adjacent areas at about 8:30am when UPDF people were gathering there for a rally, scheduled for 10:00am, to accord reception to 4 people, who were abducted by collaborators, and later released.

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