The local administration has imposed Section 144 in the Rangamati and Khagrachari districts in response to a deteriorating law and order situation and the risk of property damage.
The directive for Rangamati, signed by District Magistrate Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan, came into effect at 1pm on Friday (20 September) and will remain in place until further notice.
Meanwhile, Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner and Magistrate Md Shahiduzzaman said the Section 144 order will remain in effect from 2pm to 9pm on Friday in the Khagrachari Sadar and municipality areas to prevent further escalation.
The decision follows a violent incident in Khagrachhari, where three people were killed, and nine others sustained injuries.
The bodies of the deceased are currently at Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital.
Of the nine injured, four have been referred to Chattogram for further treatment, while the remaining five are being treated at the hospital in Khagrachhari.
Local sources reported that extensive gunfire erupted at around 10:30 pm last night in the Naran Khkhaiya and Swarnirbhar areas of Khagrachhari town. Panic swept through the region, and a tense atmosphere continues to prevail. However, no official confirmation has been provided regarding the individuals involved in the shooting.
Later that night, twelve people were brought to Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital, where three—Junan Chakma, aged 20, Dhananjay Chakma, aged 50, and Rubel, aged 30—succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
Dr Ripple Bappi Chakma, a resident physician at Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital, confirmed the fatalities and noted that several of the injured had suffered bullet wounds. Four critically injured individuals have been transferred to Chattogram for advanced care.
It has been reported that Junan Chakma and Rubel hailed from Khagrachhari Sadar, while Dhananjay Chakma was a resident of Dighinala.
Earlier, on Thursday afternoon, over 50 shops were set ablaze at Larma Square market in Dighinala following a dispute between two groups. Five people were injured in this incident.
The unrest in Khagrachhari escalated following the lynching of Md Mamun on Wednesday in Khagrachhari Sadar, allegedly over theft accusations. On Thursday, Bengali students staged protests in Dighinala, leading to clashes between opposing factions.
Security forces have intensified patrols across various parts of the district, with both the army and law enforcement agencies actively working to restore calm.
Deputy Commissioner Md. Shahiduzzaman stated that the army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed to maintain order in the wake of the escalating violence.
