Lakshmichhari Correspondent, CHT News
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
The Lakshmichari branch of the Chatra-Janater Songram Parishad (Students-People’s Movement Council) held a demonstration in protest against the harassment, looting, and disruption of daily life during a military operation in Hudukchari village of Baromachhari Union, Lakshmichari Upazila, Khagrachhari.
The protest was held at 11:30 AM today (Tuesday, August 19, 2025) in the Hudukchari market area. It was presided over by Lakshmichari Upazila’s female Vice-Chairperson Shiuli Marma. Other speakers included Nixon Chakma (representative of the Student-People’s Movement Council), student leader Kunentu Chakma, youth leader Camron Dewan, and local representative Uthan Marma.
The speakers expressed outrage, stating that in the early hours of yesterday (August 18), from 2:00 AM to 5:30 AM, military personnel entered Hudukchari village like terrorists and conducted unlawful searches in at least five homes without any permission. They harassed the general public and ransacked homes, looted money, and took away important documents.
They further claimed that since the mass uprising on July 24 (last year), incidents of repression, harassment, and arbitrary arrests under the guise of military operations have increased in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. As a result, ordinary people are now living in fear and insecurity.
In her speech, Shiuli Marma said, “The military operations are severely disrupting the normal lives of local people. Residents are unable to go to their fields or workplaces. Children cannot attend school properly because, during operations, soldiers occupy school buildings. Women in households live in constant fear.”
She mentioned that in the past, during operations and patrols, there have been many incidents of abduction, rape, and sexual harassment of women.
She added that under the pretense of operations, the military is harassing ordinary people and looting their property. The people of the area want to live in peace, but the army is taking away even that basic right.
She also alleged that the military protects the real criminals, gives them shelter and support, and enables them to commit killings, abductions, and extortion, while repressing innocent villagers.
Five demands were made from the gathering. These include:
1.Immediately stop harassment, looting, and illegal arrests under the guise of operations.
- Return the money and documents that were looted.
- Arrest the real terrorists and stop protecting them.
- Withdraw military forces from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
- Ensure democracy in the Hill Tracts, just like in the plains.
A woman from one of the households targeted during the raids shared her experience at the gathering. She said, “Yesterday at dawn, I went to the toilet. Hearing noises, I came out and saw soldiers arriving. They pointed a gun at me and said, ‘Where are the terrorists? Show us.’ When I said I didn’t know, they threatened, ‘If you don’t show us the terrorists, we’ll either kill you or send you to jail.’ They pointed a gun at me and didn’t let me enter my house. They also threatened my children, forcing them at gunpoint to tell the truth or be killed. The soldiers searched for weapons and turned the house upside down. They even broke our chicken coop, injuring many of our chickens.”
She demanded justice for the harassment and repression.
After the rally, a protest march was held pledging resistance against injustice and oppression. The march paraded the Kudukchhari market area.
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