A year after sectarian violence rocked Khagrachari and Rangamati, minority rights activists renewed their demand for justice, accountability, and compensation for families of four victims killed in the clashes.
On Friday, activists under the banner of Sammilito Pahari Chhatra-Janata—a united platform of hill students and communities—marched in Dhaka before gathering at the Raju Sculpture to denounce state inaction. The rally culminated in a candlelight vigil in memory of the four victims of the September 19–20, 2024 violence.
Speakers demanded exemplary punishment for perpetrators, condemning what they described as a lack of government response despite a year passing since the killings. They also called for financial redress to help families rebuild lives shattered by the bloodshed.
Remembering the Victims
The protesters highlighted that three of the men—Junan Chakma, 20; Rubel Tripura, 30; and Dhananjoy Chakma, 60—were allegedly shot dead by law enforcers, while 20-year-old Anik Chakma was killed by settlers identified as Bengalis.
Parallel protests and commemoration meetings were also organized in Khagrachari and Rangamati. In Khagrachari town, grieving families gathered to honor the deceased. Mothers of victims, Nironta Devi Tripura and Rupsha Chakma, expressed anguish, stating that justice remained elusive even after twelve months.
Flashpoint of Violence
The sectarian unrest was triggered by the discovery of the body of a Bengali man, Mohammad Mamun, on September 18, 2024. Mamun, facing multiple criminal charges, was reportedly lynched by a mob.
The following day, thousands of Bengalis staged a protest march in Khagrachari’s Dighinala upazila, accusing ethnic minorities of his murder. The procession escalated into an attack, leaving homes torched and families displaced.
On September 19, the assault claimed the life of Dhananjoy Chakma, while Junan and Rubel were killed in Khagrachari town. The violence quickly spread to Rangamati on September 20, where Anik Chakma lost his life.
Reports at the time described entire neighborhoods in flames as hundreds of minority families fled for safety, abandoning their homes and businesses. Scores were injured, deepening mistrust and insecurity in the already fragile Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
Calls for Justice and Accountability
In Rangamati, fronts backed by the United People’s Democratic Front—including Pahari Chhatra Parishad, Gonotantrik Juba Forum, and Hill Women’s Federation—organized a protest in Kutukchori, echoing demands for accountability.
Activists argue that the killings reflect systemic failures in protecting minorities in Bangladesh’s hill districts, where sectarian tensions remain volatile. Rights defenders fear that unless justice is delivered, cycles of violence and displacement will persist.
For families of the slain men, the absence of accountability deepens their grief. “A year has passed, yet justice has not been delivered,” said Rupsha Chakma, mother of Junan. Her words reflect a broader sentiment: that memory without justice only fuels further alienation.
