Ethnic Tensions: Deadly Clashes in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts

Violent clashes between aboriginal tribesmen and Bengali settlers in Bangladesh's Khagrachhari district resulted in three fatalities and numerous injuries. The violence was sparked by the alleged gang rape of a tribal girl, despite enhanced security. Authorities imposed movement restrictions, but tensions persist, echoing historical ethnic conflicts in the region.

Violence erupted in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeastern Bangladesh as ethnic tensions between tribal groups and Bengali settlers intensified over the alleged gang rape of a tribal schoolgirl. The clashes left three people dead and dozens injured, leading to a heightened security response.

Authorities enforced restrictions and imposed Section 144 in the Khagrachhari district, aiming to contain the unrest, but clashes continued, spreading to surrounding areas. Military and paramilitary forces joined the police to patrol the region, trying to restore order amid growing violence.

The tensions highlight longstanding ethnic conflicts in the region, despite a 1997 peace deal intended to end a two-decade insurgency. Sporadic unrest persists due to factional infighting among ethnic minority groups and rival political factions.

(With inputs from agencies.)