Hill Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma has alleged that a vested group may be financing and instigating the ongoing protests in Khagrachhari.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday at a law-and-order coordination meeting at the Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner’s conference room, Supradip Chakma said the protests and violence that erupted in the district over the past several days appear to be orchestrated.
Tensions have been running high in Khagrachhari since September 23, when an eighth-grade student was reportedly gang-raped in Singinala area of Khagrachhari Sadar. The incident sparked protests, blockades and sporadic violence across the district.
“Somebody is definitely financing this unrest under the guise of a movement,” Supradip said. “Most of the protesters are very young. It is not possible for them to pay for transport from Dighinala or Panchhari to the district headquarters. A group is trying to disrupt the election process.”
He urged the administration to take strict measures to prevent further loss of lives and property and to stabilize the situation in the hills.
The adviser also warned that the ban on public gatherings under Section 144 must be enforced. “Anyone who violates Section 144 should be arrested immediately,” he said. “New issues are being created to destabilize the hills. The government’s main challenge now is holding elections, and those trying to derail it will face action.”
He further stated that only state security forces are authorized to carry weapons in the hills and termed the ongoing blockade “illegal” without prior permission from the administration.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner A.B.M. Iftekharul Islam Khandakar and attended by senior law enforcement officials, Khagrachhari Hill District Council Chairperson Shefalika Tripura, Police Superintendent Md. Arefin Jewel and other local officials.
