DU Correspondent :
A group of Dhaka University (DU) students, along with individuals from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) residing in Dhaka, demanded justice for the killing of schoolteacher Sohel Rana in Khagrachari and called for a unified constitution and legal system for all citizens. The protesters urged reforms to existing laws, agreements, and regulations related to the CHT region.
At a human chain event held on Friday at the anti-terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture under the banner “Students for Sovereignty,” the group outlined a seven-point demand aimed at addressing ongoing issues in the CHT.
The protesters called on the Interim Government’s Constitution Reform Committee to establish one constitution and one law for all citizens, replacing the distinct legal frameworks that currently apply to the CHT.
They also called for an official notification declaring the use of terms like “Indigenous” and “Jumma” to describe tribal communities, and “settler” for Bengalis, as acts of treason.
Additionally, they demanded swift punishment for all terrorists, regardless of ethnic background, and urged the creation of a list of armed groups causing unrest in the CHT, with steps taken to neutralise them.
In light of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the protesters stressed the need for Bangladesh to maintain a neutral and balanced position, warning against making the CHT a proxy battleground in the geopolitical conflict between the United States, India, and China.
They also called for an increase in military camps in the region to ensure national stability and the abolition of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement of 1900, citing the continuation of armed activities by tribal groups.
Regarding the special tribal quota in competitive exams, the protesters criticised it as discriminatory and demanded its abolition, arguing that it unfairly benefits one group while depriving others.
Minhaj Tawki, one of the protesters, stated, “The killing of Sohel Rana is part of a larger conspiracy by tribal criminals who have long terrorised the Bengali population in the CHT.
These groups have attacked and killed Bengali civilians and military personnel alike, and they label the Bengali people as ‘settlers’ to suggest that only tribal communities have a right to live in the CHT, which threatens our national sovereignty.”
Bin Yamin Molla, president of Chhatra Odikar Parishad’s central unit, added, “In the aftermath of the mass uprising, certain fascist forces, with the help of India and other external powers, are attempting to destabilise Bangladesh by creating unrest in the CHT.
India has never been a true ally, and these forces are using our tribal brothers and sisters to fuel tensions in the region.”
