Eight people were killed in a gunfight between two local armed groups at Rowangchhari upazila in Bandarban district on Thursday night, police said.

Among the deceased, four were identified as Lal Lian Ngak Bom, Lal Tha Jar Bom, Van Lal Duh Bom and San Phither Thang Bom.

Abdul Mannan, officer-in-charge of Rowangchhari Police Station, said eight people were killed in the gunfight between the criminals of Kuki Chin National Front (KNF) and a breakaway faction of CHT-based political party United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), that identifies itself as UPDF (Democratic), in Khamtang Para area.

However there is no previous record of the two groups confronting each other, and it is not readily apparent what would occasion them to now - that too with such deadly conseuences.

While the KNF is the armed wing of the Kuki Chin National Front, that harbours separatist demands, the original UPDF under Prasit Khisa has in the past stated 'full autonomy' for the CHT districts as its principal demand. It's official position on the CHT Accord signed between the government of Bangladesh and the PCJSS in 1997, has been 'skeptical'.

UPDF (Democratic) has never clarified its position, or distanced itself from the original founding principles. Their reasons for splintering are thought to be personality-based.  

On information, police recovered the bodies this morning and sent those to Bandarban Sadar Hospital, he added.

Although police said it wasn't possible to immediately identify which group the bodies belonged to, a Facebook post on an account run by the KNF claimed that seven of its members were killed in the shootout.

According to the locals, Khamtang Para is the habitat of sixty-four families. As tension escalated in the area over the firing, all the families left their homes and took shelter in Ruma and Rowangchhari upazilas.

Meanwhile, a team from RAB visited the desolate Khamtang Para area, but authorities have divulged no further information.