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Published : 28 Sep 2025, 11:36 AM
Shops are shuttered and streets remain deserted in Khagrachhari town after the alleged rape of a Marma schoolgirl sparked days of protest and unrest.
Authorities have indefinitely restricted gatherings across parts of the hill district under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but tensions prevail despite the apparent calm.
Since Sunday morning, security forces and Army personnel have been seen positioned at key points across the town, with patrols taking place throughout.
People venturing out for urgent needs are being stopped, searched and questioned.
On Saturday, amid growing tension, Section 144 was imposed not only in Khagrachhari municipality and Sadar Upazila, but also in Guimara Upazila.
Officials said no fresh untoward incidents had been reported since the morning. On Saturday night, nearly 2,000 tourists stranded in Sajek were escorted to their destinations under Army protection.
The unrest began after allegations emerged on Tuesday night that a Marma teen had been raped.
After the filing of a case, police, with the support of the Army, arrested a 19-year-old named Shoyon Shil on Wednesday.
A half-day road blockade was enforced across the district on Thursday, organised by the group “Jumma Chhatra-Janata”, to protest the rape.
On Saturday, a dawn-to-dusk road blockade was observed across the district, leaving it nearly cut off from the rest of the country.
Although tensions remained high, Khagrachhari town stayed relatively calm during Saturday morning’s blockade. Picketers, however, were present at several points, burning tyres and logs to enforce the shutdown.
The situation flared in the afternoon. Around 1:30pm, clashes broke out between hill people and Bengalis in front of the Upazila complex at Naran Khila. Both sides chased each other back and forth for a period of time.
The unrest spread to Mohajon Para, where both groups squared off from 2pm. More than three hours of clashes left several people injured.
Police and Army personnel later intervened to bring the situation under control. The district civil surgeon said around 23 people had been injured.
Authorities said that seven platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had been deployed in Khagrachhari to maintain law and order.
