Bangladesh Army has scaled up its operations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to counter the activities of mountain-based armed groups.
Continuous drives have been conducted since 24 June across remote areas of Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban, with the latest special operation taking place in the Retlang area of Bandarban on Thursday.
A senior official from the Ministry of Home Affairs told TIMES of Bangladesh on Friday that various national and international issues are behind the sudden increase in the activities of these armed organisations.
He stated that a certain quarter aims to destabilise the country by creating unrest in the hills. The official confirmed that the army is working to thwart these efforts and that intelligence activities have also been increased, adding that the operations will continue.
Special operation in Retlang targets KNA-UPDF joint hideout
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted a special operation on Thursday, in a joint secret hideout belonging to the KNA (Kuki-Chin National Army) and the UPDF (Main) in the remote Retlang area of the Bandarban Region.
A gunfight ensued when the armed members sensed the presence of the forces and fled the scene. Operations are currently ongoing in the surrounding areas.
The ISPR stated that detailed information cannot be disclosed at this time for the sake of operational security and urged the public to refrain from spreading misleading or propaganda-based information.
Multiple operations in one week
Prior to this, on 24 June, separate operations in Khagrachhari’s Panchhari and Ramgarh sub-districts resulted in the death of one armed member. During the drive in the Barkalak area of Panchhari, two members surrendered along with two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, and 132 rounds of ammunition.
In another operation in the Hazachara area of Ramgarh, another armed member was killed. Security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle, one magazine, a pipe gun, and 27 rounds of ammunition from the site.
The ISPR has maintained that the Bangladesh Army’s operations against these armed groups will continue to ensure long-term peace and the security of all ethnic communities in the CHT.
Administration acts following TIMES report
The military intervention follows an investigative report published in TIMES on 22 June, titled “UPDF resurgence sparks fears of renewed instability in CHT.”
That report revealed that the UPDF was intensifying its activities, including recruiting new members, conducting weapons training in border areas, and restructuring its organisation. The army began its drive on 24 June following the publication of that report.
Local residents and community leaders say following the post-July revolution shift, political dynamics across the three hill districts of Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban have changed.
Several sources familiar with the region said the UPDF has traditionally maintained a strong presence in remote areas of Khagrachhari, and has recently expanded its influence into additional villages. Activity has also reportedly increased in parts of Bandarban.
Rangamati, however, remains a stronghold of the PCJSS, another influential regional organisation led by veteran indigenous leader Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, widely known as Santu Larma.
The report further noted that while top leaders remain abroad, they maintain regular contact to manage internal operations.
The publication of the report prompted significant discussion across various levels of the administration. Consequently, security agencies began monitoring the situation in the hills more closely, leading to this series of continuous operations.
The recent surge in activity demonstrates that the government has adopted an integrated strategy, involving both security and intelligence levels, to prevent a resurgence of armed groups in the region.
Earlier in November last year, a TIMES report titled “Bangladesh at crisis frontier” revealed that a major weapons shipment is expected to enter Myanmar’s Chin State via Mizoram in India, before moving to the Arakan Army’s headquarters in Paletwa — or Laiza — and potentially onward to Buthidaung in northern Rakhine.
The consignment then may move towards Bangladesh’s hill districts, according to the regional intelligence assessment.
