July 30, 2025 3:34 am

Marma Girl ‘Raped and Assaulted’: Police Block Protest March in Khagrachari

Marma Girl ‘Raped and Assaulted’

Tensions are running high across the three hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban following allegations that a Marma girl was raped and physically assaulted in Rangamati’s Kaukhali upazila. In response to the incident, a protest rally and demonstration were organized in Khagrachari, which was reportedly blocked by police — sparking anger among local residents and rights activists.

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On Saturday afternoon, a protest march was launched under the banner of “Khagrachari Conscious Student Society” from the Yongd Buddhist Monastery area in Khagrachari town. However, as the rally reached the junction of Pankhaiya Para Road, police intervened and halted the procession. Witnesses stated that the police used an empty pickup truck to block the road, effectively stopping the rally and temporarily disrupting traffic in the area.

When contacted, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Khagrachari Sadar Police Station, Md. Abdul Baten Mridha, told reporters, “Due to security concerns, we blocked the rally at Pankhaiya junction. They later held a peaceful assembly at the spot.”

The protests stem from a criminal complaint filed by the Marma girl at Kaukhali Police Station, in which she alleged that a man named Md. Fahim repeatedly raped her between March 25 and April 3. The survivor also stated that on April 13, Fahim confined her at home and raped her again. When she protested on April 17, she was physically assaulted. Following the assault, she sought medical treatment at the Kaukhali Upazila Health Complex and filed a formal complaint the next day.

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During the protest in Khagrachari, student activist Kabita Chakma addressed the crowd and said, “Police obstructed our peaceful protest without any valid reason. They refused to let us march. Does this obstruction suggest that the authorities are siding with the perpetrator?”

Another student protester, Champa Marma, added, “We are simply demanding justice for a Marma girl who was raped. Yet, instead of arresting the rapist, the police are hindering our protest. As citizens, we deserve access to justice.”

In a significant development, the prime accused, Md. Fahim, was arrested on Wednesday, April 23, around 4:30 PM from the Kadam Rasul area of Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram. OC of Kaukhali Police Station, Md. Saiful Islam Sohag, stated, “I personally led the operation. We haven’t yet returned to the station. The accused will be presented before the court on Thursday.”

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When asked about the possible involvement of another accused, Rimon Chakma, OC Sohag responded, “If the investigation confirms his role in the incident, he will also be arrested.”

According to the case statement, on the night of April 16, around 11:45 PM, Fahim and Rimon Chakma forcibly took the survivor from her home and assaulted her. The following day, the victim filed a complaint against both men for rape and physical abuse.

The case has triggered widespread discontent across the hill districts. The situation has been further complicated by a separate incident in which five students from Chittagong University were allegedly abducted from the Giriful area of Khagrachari around the same time. While police have arrested one of the suspects in the rape case, they have yet to trace the whereabouts of the abducted students, deepening concerns about law enforcement and justice in the region.

Publication Date: 24 April, 2025

Reports published in various newspapers on this issue: bdnews24, bdnews24, nagorik, manobkantha

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