The district administration in Rangamati has imposed Section 144, restricting gatherings until further notice. 

The decision came as violence between Bangali locals and ethnic minority people broke out in Rangamati today following a protest march in response to clashes in Khagrachari that killed at least three people. 

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan announced that Section 144 has been imposed in the Rangamati municipal area from 1:30pm to prevent further violence and restore peace.

Sources said hundreds of tribal people brought out a rally around 10:00am from the Gymnasium area of Rangamati. As the march reached Banrupa, the protesters reportedly vandalised several Bengali-owned shops, accusing locals of throwing stones at the procession. The protesters also damaged buses and trucks plying on the road. In retaliation, Bengali residents armed with sticks confronted the protesters, setting fire to at least two businesses owned by tribal people in Banrupa.

The two groups locked in clashes near Happy Mor, creating a tense standoff that further escalated the situation.

Police sources confirmed that the unrest began in the morning, prompting joint patrols by police, the army, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to restore order in the city.

Rangamati’s Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) stated that law enforcers were actively working to control the situation on the ground.

Dr. Sadia Akter, an emergency department physician at Rangamati General Hospital, reported that around 50 people have been admitted to the hospital, with at least seven in critical condition.

BDST: 1535 HRS, SEP 20, 2024
MSK