Hill Voice, 27 July 2026, Rangamati: Today (27 July) it has been reported that a group of Bengali settlers attacked the Jummas in Khedarmara Union area of Baghaichari Upazila under Rangamati district while trying to occupy their land.
Local sources said that at that time, a Jumma villager named Mahendra Chakma (55), son of Manobhadra Chakma, a resident of Dakshin (South) Pablakhali area of Ward No. 9 of Khedarmara Union, was seriously injured in the attack by the Bengali settlers. Mahendra Chakma was attacked while trying to stop the encroachment of his land.
According to local sources, at 10:00 am today, Monday, approximately 15 Bengali settlers led by Md. Quddus, Md. Monir and Md. Belal from Longadu Upazila came to clear the land of local Jumma residents Mahendra Chakma (55), Nobel Chakma (34), Chiranjeeb Chakma (55) and Chijimuni Chakma (30) of Dakshin Pablakhali, bordering Baghaichari and Longadu Upazilas.
Upon learning of the matter, Mahendra Chakma immediately went there to prevent them and asked Md. Quddus and others to leave the place. But Quddus refused to leave, claiming that he had bought the land from Mitan Chakma (38), son of Mangal Kumar Chakma of Dakshin Pablakhali village, for 5 lakh taka in cash a long time ago.
On the other hand, when Mitan Chakma (currently working in a company in Chittagong) was immediately contacted on the phone regarding this matter, he denied the matter and said, “I know nothing about this.”
There was a huge argument between the two sides over this and at one point the settlers attacked Mahendra Chakma with a billhook. Later, the local villagers came to know about the incident and came to the spot and resisted the settlers. The settlers fled from there and the villagers rescued Mahendra Chakma from hand of death.
As of the writing of this report, the situation there is tense and local police and Ansar personnel and a group of army from the Longadu Army Zone are reportedly stationed there.
It is worth mentioning that there has been a long-standing dispute between the local Jumma villagers and settlers over land in the border areas of Baghaichari and Longadu. After the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, Patachara Camp Commander Major Harunur Rashid Mirza set the boundary as the west side along the village of Uttar Rahamotpur to Goltila Police Camp bordering Longadu Upazila for Bengali settlers and the village of Dakshin Pablakhali in Khedarmara Union under Baghaichari Upazila for Jummas on the east. Despite this, the settlers have been trying to encroach on the Jummas’ land by violating the boundary for many days. As a result, the Bengali settlers are often involved in clashes with the Jummas and are creating communal tension.
Villagers allege that a few land brokers from Dakshin Pablakhali village, in collusion with Bengali settlers illegally sold their lands to settlers for a large sum of money without informing the villagers. As a result, a dispute over land has started there. After investigation, it was learnt that the Jummas involved in illegally selling land to settlers without informing the original owners are—1. Rumantu Chakma (40); 2. Lalonjit Chakma (47); 3. Anil Bihari Chakma (60); 4. Priyo Bikash Chakma (43); 5. Molin Bikash Chakma (37); 6. Artha Bikash Chakma (52); 7. Sumon Chakma (58); 8. Biplob Joy Chakma (45); 9. Rintu Chakma (26); 10. Kalijoy Chakma (37); 11. Adar Bijoy Chakma (45); 12. Rupayan Chakma; 13. Samiran Chakma (65); 14. Prem Kumar (35); 15. Shanti Bikash Chakma (65); 16. Premantu Chakma (37); 17. Pritimoy Chakma (42); 18. Tarun Kanti Chakma (65); 19. Gul Choga Chakma (40); 20. Sushanti Chakma (60); 21. Jatin Bikash Chakma (63); 22. Nantu Bikash Chakma (40).