Commentary
After the army–settler attack in Guimara, Khagrachhari, the military has increased operations and patrols in areas influenced by the UPDF. Although they say the goal is to stop terrorism, the real purpose seems to be to protect the soldiers and settlers involved in the Guimara attack, and to weaken the UPDF, which is currently the main political force active in the Hill Tracts.
Even though the operations are supposed to target the UPDF, the people who are actually suffering are ordinary villagers. During these operations, villagers are being beaten, their homes are searched unfairly, their belongings are taken, and some are arrested and labeled as “terrorists.” Soldiers have occupied religious buildings, schools, and land. In Sajek, a woman was even sexually harassed.
Daily reports of these incidents are already being published. Here, I want to mention one specific incident from 17 November in Madhya Harikaba village of Longadu, Rangamati. Five villagers—Sagorbasha Chakma (24), Suman Chakma (24), Kalachan Chakma (25), Bir Chakma (48), and Gyanendu Chakma (26)—were tortured by soldiers just because they were suspected of being UPDF supporters. All of them are poor day laborers. If the women of the village had not protested, the soldiers would have beaten them even more and possibly charged them as “UPDF terrorists.” Still, the torture was so severe that they had to go to the hospital.
The villagers said that soldiers claimed they had received information that UPDF members visited their homes and were given food. The villagers denied this because no UPDF members had come. Soldiers then played an audio recording that showed a member of the JSS (Santu group) had given this false information to the army.
So it is clear that these five innocent villagers were tortured because of false information given by the JSS (Santu group). Similar incidents have happened in Sajek as well. Members of the Santu group are giving false information to the army—sometimes out of suspicion, sometimes out of hostility—and the army is acting on this without checking the truth, harming innocent people.
What crime did these villagers commit? Aren’t they citizens? If they are citizens, they deserve the constitutional rights given to all citizens. Under the law, the army has no right to torture someone just because they are suspected of supporting a group. Homes are being searched without permission, even though the Constitution says citizens have the right to safety and privacy in their homes.
Even if they were UPDF members or supporters, they still committed no crime. The Constitution gives everyone the right to support any organization or attend any meeting. And even if someone truly commits a crime, only a court has the authority to decide their guilt or innocence. The army’s job is to hand suspects over to the legal system, not to act as judge or executioner.
At the same time, while the army is aggressively combing UPDF areas, a 40-member armed group has been staying openly near the Ghagra–Chattogram border since 31 October—just minutes away from an army camp—carrying out extortion and other crimes. Yet the army and local administration have taken no action and are pretending not to know anything.
On 16 November, more than two thousand people from Kaukhali submitted a memorandum demanding action against this armed group. Even after that, nothing has been done, and the group is still active.
This shows that the army’s “anti-terror operations” are not really against terrorists. They are targeting the general population and the UPDF in order to create fear and suppress protest movements.
As a result, anger among the hill people is rising. They no longer want to tolerate unjust torture, arrests, and harassment. Protests have already taken place in several areas. In some places, people are even resisting the army and preventing them from taking villagers away unjustly.
Standing up against injustice is always justified. It is also a civic duty. We hope the Bangladesh Army will stop violating citizens’ fundamental rights and immediately end the oppression and looting being carried out in the name of “anti-terror operations.”
(20 November 2025)
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