The Sovereignty Protection Council on Sunday strongly condemned recent attacks on the army and civilians in Khagrachhari and Guimara, as well as the alleged vandalism of mosques, arson, looting of shops, and destruction of vehicles across several upazilas of the district.
The organisation has demanded the immediate arrest of those involved.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the Council’s Chief Coordinator Md. Mostafa Al Ihyaz alleged that on September 26, the armed extremist group UPDF and its allied outfits orchestrated violent incidents under the guise of an anti-rape rally in Khagrachhari town. During the demonstration, they reportedly carried out widespread vandalism and attacked army personnel, leaving over a hundred people injured.
The statement said that although the district administration imposed Section 144 in Khagrachhari Sadar to restore order, the armed groups continued their rampage, targeting local Bengali communities, looting shops, and setting houses on fire.
It said that the militants allegedly attacked army personnel again in Guimara upazila, injuring 11 soldiers and at least 30 civilians. Several areas of the upazila, including a local market, were also set ablaze, according to the statement.
The Council further highlighted a recent rape case in Khagrachhari Sadar’s Singinala area involving a schoolgirl from Khagrachhari Government Girls’ High School. The main accused, Shayon Shil (19), has already been arrested with the help of the army and placed on a seven-day remand. Two others have also been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.
However, the press statement accused UPDF and its student wing, the Greater Hill Students Council, of exploiting the case to spread anti-army propaganda under the slogan “Withdraw the army from the hills.” The Council alleged that these groups were deliberately turning a criminal case into a political issue to shield the accused and mislead the public.
The Sovereignty Protection Council stressed that the Bangladesh Army has been playing a vital role in maintaining peace and stability in the Chittagong Hill Tracts for decades, working tirelessly to ensure the safety of both hill and Bengali communities. The army has also been praised for its contributions to disaster response, law enforcement, education, and healthcare in the region.
The Council urged the government to permanently ban the activities of UPDF, JSS, and all armed extremist groups in the hills, and to take stern measures to dismantle their networks. Otherwise, it warned, patriotic students and locals would be mobilised to resist militancy and restore peace in the hill tracts.