Historical Background of Violence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts

By: Mahmudun Nabi

July 28, 2024

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), located in southeastern Bangladesh, has been the site of long-standing ethnic and political conflict, primarily between the indigenous communities, particularly the Chakmas, and the Bengali settlers. The violence in the region stems from structural policies of land dispossession, cultural marginalization, and demographic shifts enforced first during the colonial era and continuing into the post-independence period of Bangladesh.

Colonial and Post-Colonial Period

The roots of violence in the CHT can be traced back to the British colonial period. The British colonial government treated the CHT as a separate entity, creating a divide between the indigenous people and the Bengali population of the plains. This division was further entrenched through the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation of 1900, which granted some level of autonomy to the indigenous people but ultimately aimed to exploit the region’s resources for colonial economic interests (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…). Following the partition of British India, the Pakistani government continued these policies, disregarding the traditional land rights of the indigenous people and initiating projects that led to widespread displacement, such as the construction of the Kaptai Dam in 1962, which flooded a large portion of cultivable land (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

After Bangladesh gained independence in 1971, the indigenous people of the CHT sought constitutional recognition and autonomy. However, the newly formed government rejected these demands and instead pursued an assimilationist policy that sought to integrate the indigenous people into the dominant Bengali culture. The Constitution of Bangladesh, adopted in 1972, declared Bangladesh a mono-cultural entity, leaving no room for the recognition of indigenous identities (Chakma, 2010)(CHAKMA-StructuralRootsV…). This led to the formation of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) and its armed wing, the Shanti Bahini, which began a guerrilla war against the state to demand autonomy for the CHT (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

Demographic Shifts and Land Grabbing

One of the key policies driving the violence in the CHT has been the government's resettlement program. Since the late 1970s, successive Bangladeshi governments undertook a policy to settle Bengali populations in the CHT, radically altering the demographic landscape. By 1991, the Bengali population in the CHT had risen to 48.5%, compared to 11.6% in 1974 (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…). This demographic engineering aimed to reduce the indigenous peoples to a minority in their own land, facilitating land grabbing and resource extraction.

The government's policy of "Bengalization" was not merely demographic but served a broader political goal: the undermining of indigenous autonomy and land rights. This process was compounded by the military's involvement, which actively supported Bengali settlers in their efforts to seize land from indigenous communities. As Chakma (2010) notes, the government's policies led to systematic displacement of indigenous peoples through violent means, often backed by the military (Chakma, 2010)(CHAKMA-StructuralRootsV…).

Impact on Indigenous Livelihoods

The influx of Bengali settlers not only shifted the demographics but also had devastating consequences for the indigenous people’s livelihoods. Traditionally reliant on jhum (shifting cultivation), the indigenous peoples found their land increasingly encroached upon, leading to impoverishment and loss of cultural heritage. Projects such as the construction of the Kaptai Dam in the 1960s had already displaced thousands of indigenous people, setting a precedent for further land dispossession in the following decades (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

State-Sponsored Violence

The Bengali resettlement policy also led to recurring outbreaks of violence, particularly between settlers and indigenous communities. The state played an active role in these conflicts, using military force to suppress indigenous resistance. A series of massacres, such as the Logang massacre of 1992, where 138 people were killed, highlights the state's direct involvement in the violence (Chakma, 2010)(CHAKMA-StructuralRootsV…). According to Chakma (2010), the government’s actions in the CHT amounted to a form of ethnocide, aimed at erasing the distinct identities and cultures of the indigenous peoples (Chakma, 2010)(CHAKMA-StructuralRootsV…)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

Peace Accord and Continuing Violence

The signing of the CHT Peace Accord in 1997 formally ended the armed conflict between the indigenous Shanti Bahini forces and the state, but it did not bring an end to violence. The failure to fully implement the Accord, particularly regarding land restitution and demilitarization, has meant that tensions remain high. Despite the promises of the Accord, many indigenous people continue to face threats to their land rights and cultural autonomy. The government has been slow to demilitarize the region, and the Land Dispute Resolution Commission, formed as part of the peace process, has been largely ineffective in addressing grievances related to land grabbing and restitution (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

Moreover, intercommunal violence between Bengali settlers and indigenous communities has persisted, often with tacit or overt support from the military and local authorities. The indigenous peoples' demand for the removal of settlers and the return of occupied lands has largely been ignored, leading to ongoing distrust and resentment (Chakma, 2010)(CHAKMA-StructuralRootsV…). The persistent lack of political will to fully implement the terms of the Peace Accord underscores the broader structural inequalities and discrimination that continue to marginalize indigenous communities in the CHT.

Without addressing the root causes of conflict—such as land rights, political autonomy, and cultural recognition—lasting peace in the CHT remains elusive. The ongoing violence and state-sponsored settlement policies demonstrate that the structural roots of conflict are deeply entrenched, and unless genuine efforts are made to uphold the rights of the indigenous peoples, the cycle of violence is likely to continue (Rahman & Ali, 2019)(Transforming-Ethnic-Con…).

References

Chakma, B. (2010). The post-colonial state and minorities: Ethnocide in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, 48(3), 281-300.

Rahman, A., & Ali, M. (2019). Transforming Ethnic Conflict and Building Peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Journal of Living Together, Volume 6, Issue 1, pp. 110-132.