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Thursday | November 12, 2026 | Dhaka

Over 300 killed in CHT violence in 5yrs

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:05 AM, 12 November 2026

A total of 316 people, including 308 civilians and eight members of security forces, were killed in attacks by armed groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) over the past five years, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament on Wednesday.

In a written response to a question from Manikganj-1 MP SA Jinnah Kabir during the question-and-answer session of the fourth session of Parliament, the minister provided details of violence, abductions, extortion and illegal arms activities in the three hill districts.

According to the minister, 435 civilians and 55 members of security forces were injured in attacks by armed groups during the period. Security forces also came under attack 97 times.

He said armed groups carried out 194 attacks on Bengali communities and 81 attacks on members of different ethnic minority communities over the past five years.

During the same period, 297 abductions, 471 incidents of forced extortion and 377 incidents involving the use of illegal firearms were recorded.

Special operations underway
The Home Minister said the special military operation, ‘Operation Uttoron’, was ongoing to maintain peace and order in the hill districts and suppress the activities of armed groups.

He said the Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police and SRB had intensified regular patrols and intelligence activities to prevent criminal activities.

The government had adopted a strict policy against armed individuals, extortionists and terrorists operating in the region, he added. Suspects were being brought under the law through regular criminal cases based on specific allegations.

Salahuddin Ahmed said local administrations were working continuously to ensure the security of people living in the CHT.

He added that coordinated special operations involving the Army, BGB, police and SRB were being conducted regularly to eliminate the activities of both newly formed and long-established regional armed groups and recover illegal firearms.

Based on intelligence information, joint forces were also conducting operations in remote hilly areas to dismantle secret hideouts and training camps of armed groups. Helicopters were being used when necessary, with support from the Air Force, he said.

Surveillance tightened to curb extortion and arms smuggling
The minister said authorities had identified the main sources of income and economic networks used by armed groups to collect extortion money and had intensified surveillance over them.

The number of security checkpoints had been increased, while intelligence monitoring of mobile financial services and other financial transactions had been strengthened to prevent extortion.

He said BGB had enhanced its capacity to prevent the smuggling of illegal firearms and drugs through border routes. Surveillance had also been intensified in remote areas along the borders with India’s Mizoram state and Myanmar.

According to the minister, police and SRB had also uncovered several networks and sources in the plains involved in supplying weapons and military uniforms to armed groups.

He further claimed that hundreds of active members and militants belonging to different regional armed groups had been arrested during ongoing and special joint operations in the hill districts.

A large quantity of sophisticated firearms, live ammunition, magazines, camouflage uniforms and drones and communication equipment had also been recovered during the operations, he added.