On 22 September 2012 Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers attacked indigenous Buddhist people in Rangamati. When the indigenous people counter attacked in self defence Bangladesh army took side with the Muslim settlers. 76 indigenous people were injured and numerous indigenous properties were destroyed. The Muslim settlers are attacking South Kalindipur area on 22nd September.

Bengali settlers attack indigenous people in Khagrachari

On 27 March 1999, an overbearing Muslim settler pushed few indigenous Buddhist youths with his elbows. The latter were offended and asked the former to apologise for his provocative behaviour. But instead of apologising for his abominable acts, the haughty Muslim settler abused the indigenous youths with filthy and racial languages indicating that he wanted to pick up a quarrel with the indigenous people to start communal riot. The indigenous youths were not prepared to put up with such racial humiliation. They mildly manhandled him just to teach him a lession.

Then the Muslim settler went to Mohammad Zahedul Alam a local leader of the Awami League and also a bogyman of the Bangladesh Army. He had already armed the Muslim settlers with pistols, knives, iron bar and sticks. Almost immediately the armed gang led by Mohammad Zahedul Alam marched towards Kalyanpur the indigenous neighbourhood of Khagrachari town. On the way, the Muslim rioters attacked innocent indigenous pedestrians and severely beat them up. They managed to catch one indigenous youthd who could not flee because of his injuries. They handed him over to the Police on a totally fabricated allegation of robbing a Muslim shopkeeper. The Police sent the injured indigenous youth to Khagrachari Jail without investigation or trial.

Before entering Kalyanpur Mohammad Alam ordered his gang to cut off the telephone line of Mr. Hangsadhwaj Chakma's home. Mr. Chakma is the Convenor of the Coordination Committee between the Bangladesh Government Committee on the CHT Affairs and the PCJSS. He also incited the Muslim rioters by shouting racial and Islamic slogans such as - "We will drink the blood of the Buddhist Kafirs (infidels)", "We will annihilate the Buddhists", "We will Islamise the CHT", "Allahu Akbar", "Naraye Takdir" and so on. Then he commanded the settlers to attack the indigenous people of Kalyanpur.

Many indigenous families heard the loud slogans of the advancing Muslim settlers and fled to safer areas. As usual, the Muslim settlers ransacked the indigenous homes and destroyed them. In the mean time, the indigenous people tried to alert the Police and higher authorities by using the telephone of Mr. H. Chakma but to their great disappointment they found that his telephone did not work. Having not been able to call the Police, the indigenous people had no other alternative but to fight back with rock and stones and wooden and bamboo poles. When the Muslim settlers were almost overwhelmed by the indigenous people, the Bangladesh army sided with their coreligionists. Bangladesh army fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells at the indigenous people to disperse them and rescued the Muslim settlers.

Following indigenous people were among those whose houses were looted and destroyed-

1. Mrs. Shreela Talukdar, the Head Teacher of Bandarban Government High School
2. Mr. Tridip Chakma, an employee of the Agricultural Bank
3. Mr. Animoy Khisa, a local employee
4. Mr. Tapan Roy; and so forth.

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