Ramgarh Correspondent, CHT News
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Continuous patrols and temporary deployments by the Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over the past several days in Batnatuli and surrounding hill villages of Ramgarh Upazila, Khagrachhari, have caused growing concern among local Indigenous residents.
Residents said nighttime armed patrols, the temporary use of educational institutions as camps, and the questioning of civilians have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the area.
According to local residents, frequent movements of Army and BGB personnel have been observed in the area since the beginning of August.
On the evening of August 4, two Army vehicles from the Batnatuli Army Camp arrived at Sadukhil Government Primary School and remained there overnight. The presence of armed personnel inside the school reportedly caused concern among students and their parents.
At around 9:00 pm on August 6, a joint Army-BGB team was reportedly seen taking up a position in an uninhabited area between Nangel Para and Lalchhari. The late-night presence of armed personnel reportedly alarmed residents of nearby villages.
The greatest concern was reported on August 8, when a joint force of approximately 50 to 60 personnel suddenly arrived at Sonaikhil Para Government Primary School at around 10:30 pm and took up a position there. Local tea stalls reportedly closed after the deployment created fear among residents.
The personnel reportedly called local residents and questioned them about the distance between Rupaichhari and Gorukata, as well as the routes connecting the two areas. The team remained at the school overnight and returned the following morning.
Residents said that being questioned by security personnel at night has caused considerable fear among local Indigenous villagers.
As part of the continued security presence, personnel from the BGB Kheda Camp at Khagra Bil and other nearby camps reportedly arrived at around 6:30 pm on August 11 and set up tents for a temporary deployment. At approximately 9:00 pm, they reportedly began patrolling the areas around Rupaichhari and Balu Khali. The patrol was cut short because of rain, and the personnel returned to their camp. However, their presence reportedly heightened anxiety among local residents.
On August 12, from approximately 7:00 am until 10:00 pm, a group of Army personnel travelled in two vehicles from the Batnatuli Army Camp to Belchhari Government Primary School, where they reportedly remained for the day.
At around 8:00 pm on August 13, a group of 10 to 12 Army personnel from the Batnatuli Camp reportedly conducted patrols in Salda Para and Natun Para. The group returned to the camp approximately two hours later.
Meanwhile, following a fire in the Gorukata area in which the cowshed of a Bengali settler identified as Md. Barek was reportedly destroyed, local settlers allegedly attempted to create communal tension in the area. In response, a group of Army personnel arrived there in eight vehicles on the morning of August 14, according to local residents.
The soldiers later moved from the area and took up a position at a nearby location known as Globe Bagan. Residents said the same group conducted a patrol in Hachuk Para at around 8:00 am on August 15 before returning to Globe Bagan.
Residents also reported that an Army team was seen heading towards Gujapara on Saturday morning. Separately, approximately 10 BGB personnel from the Baidyapara BGB Camp reportedly went to Dantaram Para at around 8:00 am and took up a position there.
Several local Indigenous villagers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the repeated nighttime patrols, temporary deployments, and questioning by security forces have left them feeling unsafe in their own communities.
“Whenever evening falls, these sudden Army patrols, deployments, and questioning in the villages make us feel insecure in our own area,” they said.
They also expressed concern about the use of educational institutions as temporary camps at night, saying it could have a negative psychological impact on children and disrupt normal life in the area.
“There is already a sense of underlying fear in the hills. The continued military presence is further disrupting the daily movement and activities of ordinary people,” they said.
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