Protests Erupt in Khagrachari Over Gang Rape of Indigenous Marma Schoolgirl

Thousands of indigenous students and hill residents took to the streets in Khagrachari today, protesting the brutal gang rape of a 12-year-old Marma schoolgirl and demanding swift justice. Under the banner "Jhumma Students-People," the rally and assembly at Chengi Square highlighted growing outrage over violence against women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), with speakers vowing road blockades tomorrow if perpetrators are not apprehended.

The procession, starting from College Field around noon, marched through key areas including Chengi Square, Mahajanpara, Narikelbagan, Shapla Chattar, and Court Road before returning to Chengi Square for a public meeting. Addressing the crowd, organizers from the Jhumma Students-People group—including spokesperson Ukynu Marma, student Kripon Tripura, Kabita Chakma, Akash Tripura, and representatives from the Bangladesh Marma Student Council like Waipai Marma, Monsai Marma, and Onswi Marma—condemned the assault as a symptom of systemic impunity.

Speakers expressed fury, stating, "Women and girls—from children to the elderly—are unsafe across hills and plains. The root cause is a culture of injustice. If the administration acted decisively and swiftly, such barbarity wouldn't recur repeatedly." They accused police of failing to arrest two of the three alleged Bengali settler perpetrators three days after the September 23 incident, allowing criminals to evade justice and emboldening further attacks in the region.

The victim's father recounted the horror: "My daughter attended private tutoring every evening, returning home around 9:00 PM. On Tuesday, she went as usual but didn't return, leaving us anxious. At her tutor's, we learned she was dismissed on time. With neighbors, we searched and found her unconscious in a crop field around 11:00 PM." She was rushed to Khagrachari Sadar Hospital, where she remains under treatment.

Khagrachari Police Superintendent Arefin Jewel responded, "One suspect has been arrested. He was remanded for five days by the court yesterday. Efforts to apprehend the remaining perpetrators are ongoing."

The assembly escalated with announcements of road blockades tomorrow morning and evening unless the remaining suspects are arrested. Jhumma Students-People Convener Ukynu Marma alleged late Thursday night harassment by law enforcement: "Security forces picked me up around 8:00 PM and tortured me, but public resistance forced my release." He warned of continuous strikes and harsher actions if demands go unmet, pausing only for the upcoming Durga Puja festivities.

This incident, allegedly involving three Bengali youths, has ignited broader fury over ethnic tensions and sexual violence in CHT, where indigenous women face disproportionate risks amid land disputes and settler influxes. Similar protests erupted at Chittagong University earlier this month, demanding exemplary punishment. Activists link it to a pattern of unresolved cases, urging federal intervention to protect hill women and enforce the CHT Peace Accord.