Chittagong Hill Tracts massacres form one of the darkest chapters in the history of Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, Indigenous peoples in the region have faced repeated killings, village burning, land loss and forced displacement.

There is no single official list of all the massacres. A widely cited academic chronology identifies 11 main massacre episodes between 1979 and 1993. Other lists count 13 or more because they separate attacks that happened in different villages and include other documented killings, such as Dhalupara.

This article presents the major incidents in chronological order. It also names the government that was in power at the time.

Why Did These Massacres Happen?

The massacres in the Chittagong Hill Tracts(CHT) did not happen without a background. They were closely connected to government-sponsored Bengali settlement, Indigenous land loss, militarisation and the armed conflict.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Bangladesh government moved large numbers of landless Bengali families from the plains into the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The settlers received land, food rations, transport and other forms of government support.

However, all the land given to the settlers was already occupied, cultivated or traditionally owned by Indigenous people. Indigenous land ownership was often based on customary law and community recognition. Many families did not have the type of written land documents used in the plains.

As a result, many Indigenous people lost their farms, homes and ancestral land. The Bengali settlement programme also changed the population of the region and created direct competition over land and natural resources.

The settlers themselves were often poor families brought into an area already suffering from political conflict. However, the government placed them on or near Indigenous land without first solving existing land rights. This policy created a permanent source of tension between the two communities.

The growing number of military camps made the situation more dangerous. Bengali settlements were often located near military or security camps. Indigenous villagers therefore believed that settlers received protection from the security forces, while their own complaints about land grabbing and attacks were ignored.

The armed conflict between the Bangladesh security forces and the Shanti Bahini made the situation even worse. When the Shanti Bahini attacked soldiers, government facilities or Bengali settlements, nearby Indigenous villages were often accused of helping the armed group.

In many cases, ordinary Indigenous civilians were punished for actions they had not committed. Entire villages were attacked because some residents were suspected of supporting the Shanti Bahini.

Several massacres followed a similar pattern. A Bengali person was killed, a rumour spread, or an accusation was made against the Shanti Bahini. Bengali settlers and security personnel were then accused of attacking nearby Indigenous villages.

Some accusations were never independently investigated. In other cases, later information suggested that the original killing may have resulted from a personal dispute or conflict between Bengali groups. Yet the blame was quickly placed on the Shanti Bahini, and an entire Indigenous community faced retaliation.

This does not mean that every accusation against the Shanti Bahini was false. The Shanti Bahini also carried out attacks against soldiers, Bengali settlements and civilians. Those attacks must also be acknowledged.

However, the actions of an armed group could never justify the collective punishment of unarmed Indigenous men, women, children, monks and farmers. Civilians should not have been attacked because they belonged to the same ethnic community as members of an armed organisation.

The massacres therefore cannot be described simply as separate “communal clashes.” They were connected to a wider system of settlement, land occupation, military control, retaliation and lack of accountability.

If Bengali settlers had not been placed on Indigenous land without solving land ownership and political rights, many of these conflicts might not have developed in the same way. The settlement programme did not create every problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, but it greatly increased land disputes, mistrust and violence.

Understanding this background is necessary before examining each massacre. Without it, readers may see the incidents as isolated acts of violence. In reality, all of them followed the same pattern: accusation, mobilisation, attack, village burning, displacement and little or no justice.

Timeline of the Main Incidents

Date	Incident	Reported deaths	Government in power
15 October 1979	Mubachari	Unknown	BNP, President Ziaur Rahman
25 March 1980	Kaukhali–Kalampati	50 to more than 200; some accounts say around 300	BNP, President Ziaur Rahman
31 May–1 June 1984	Barkal–Bhusanchhara violence	Heavily disputed	Military government of H. M. Ershad
1 May 1986	Panchari	Unknown	Ershad regime
Early May 1986	Matiranga	Around 70 in some reports	Ershad regime
18–19 May 1986	Comillatilla–Taindong	Exact number unknown	Ershad regime
8–10 August 1988	Baghaichari-area attacks	Heavily disputed	Jatiya Party government, H. M. Ershad
4 May 1989	Longadu	Official figure 16; other reports say at least 36	Jatiya Party government
2 February 1992	Malya	Around 30	BNP, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
10 April 1992	Logang	Official figure 12; other reports say more than 100	BNP, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
30 May 1992	Dhalupara	Seven	BNP, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
17 November 1993	Naniarchar	Around 20 to more than 30	BNP, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

1. Mubachari Massacre

Date: 15 October 1979
Location: Mubachari, Mahalchari area
Government in power: BNP government under President Ziaur Rahman
Reported deaths: Exact number unknown

Mubachari is widely described as the first large-scale massacre of Indigenous civilians during the modern conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The attack happened during a period of growing military activity and government-supported Bengali settlement in the region. Indigenous accounts say that security personnel and Bengali settlers attacked local Jumma villagers.

Because the area was closed to independent journalists and investigators, no reliable list of victims was prepared. The exact number killed remains unknown. (JSTOR)

2. Kaukhali–Kalampati Massacre

Date: 25 March 1980
Location: Kaukhali and Kalampati, Rangamati
Government in power: BNP government under President Ziaur Rahman
Reported deaths: Between 50 and more than 200; one estimate placed the number near 300

According to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, Indigenous residents were asked to gather for a meeting. The meeting was reportedly presented as a discussion about local security and the repair of a Buddhist temple.

Soldiers and newly settled Bengali(Settlers) were then accused of attacking the gathering and nearby Indigenous villages. Witnesses described shooting, stabbing, burning and the removal of bodies. A mass grave containing an estimated 50 to 60 bodies was later reported.

The total death toll remains uncertain. Amnesty International recorded estimates ranging from about 50 to more than 200, while another account estimated around 300 deaths. (IWGIA)

Kaukhali remains one of the deadliest and most widely remembered massacres in CHT history.

3. Barkal–Bhusanchhara Violence

Date: 31 May–1 June 1984
Location: Barkal and Bhusanchhara area, Rangamati
Government in power: Military government of General H. M. Ershad
Reported deaths: Disputed

This is one of the most difficult incidents to describe because two very different historical accounts exist.

Bengali accounts say that Shanti Bahini fighters attacked Bengali settlements in the Bhusanchhara area and killed a large number of settlers. Some reports claim that hundreds of Bengali civilians died.

Indigenous-rights sources describe a wider cycle of violence. They say that after the attacks on Bengali settlements, army personnel, Bangladesh Rifles members and Bengali settlers carried out retaliatory attacks on Jumma villages. Some Indigenous records claim that around 110 Indigenous people were killed.

The violence is not disputed, but the number and identity of all victims, the order of events and responsibility for each attack remain politically contested. It would therefore be misleading to present only one side as the complete history. (IWGIA)

4. Panchari Massacre

Date: 1 May 1986
Location: Panchari, Khagrachari
Government in power: Ershad regime
Reported deaths: Unknown

Large-scale violence began in Panchari at the start of May 1986. Indigenous villages were attacked and burned, and many families fled towards the Indian border.

Human-rights accounts say that security forces and Bengali settlers were involved in attacks against Indigenous communities. Some sources describe the number of people killed as very high, but there is no trustworthy final casualty list.

The Panchari violence was not an isolated incident. It formed part of a wider wave of attacks across Khagrachari during May 1986. Thousands of Indigenous people later crossed into Tripura, India, seeking safety. (IWGIA)

5. Matiranga Massacre

Date: Early May 1986
Location: Matiranga, Khagrachari
Government in power: Ershad regime
Reported deaths: Around 70 in Indigenous-rights records

The violence soon spread from Panchari to Matiranga and nearby areas.

Historical accounts describe military operations, killings, the burning of villages and the forced movement of Indigenous families. Some records estimate that around 70 Indigenous people were killed.

However, no independent investigation produced a complete list of the dead. The number should therefore be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed total. (IWGIA)

6. Comillatilla–Taindong Killings

Date: 18–19 May 1986
Location: Comillatilla, Taindong and nearby border areas
Government in power: Ershad regime
Reported deaths: Unknown

After the earlier attacks, many Indigenous families tried to flee towards India. A group of about 200 people was reportedly stopped near the border.

Some Indigenous accounts state that members of the Bangladesh Rifles opened fire on the group and that many people, including women and children, were killed.

A common online claim says that all 200 people died. However, Amnesty International’s account states that the group contained about 200 people and that an unknown number were killed. Therefore, 200 should not be presented as a confirmed death toll.

Some chronologies count Comillatilla and Taindong as one connected massacre. Others count them as two separate incidents. This is one reason different lists give different totals.

7. Baghaichari-Area Attacks

Date: 8–10 August 1988
Locations: Hirachar, Sarbotoli, Pablakhali and surrounding areas
Government in power: Jatiya Party government under President H. M. Ershad
Reported deaths: Highly disputed

A new wave of violence took place in the Baghaichari region in August 1988. Several Indigenous settlements were attacked during military and retaliatory operations.

The PCJSS alleged that more than 300 Indigenous people were killed. Other historical lists use a figure of more than 100. The government gave a far lower account, saying that only a few people were injured and that one person later died.

Amnesty International reported these conflicting claims but said it could not independently confirm the number of deaths. For that reason, no single casualty figure should be presented as certain.

The attacks are sometimes listed under the separate names Hirachar, Sarbotoli and Pablakhali. Other researchers group them as one regional episode.

8. Longadu Massacre

Date: 4 May 1989
Location: Longadu, Rangamati
Government in power: Jatiya Party government under President H. M. Ershad
Reported deaths: Official figure 16; other reports say at least 36

The Longadu Massacre followed the killing of Abdur Rashid Sarkar, a Bengali community leader. His death was blamed on the Shanti Bahini.

Soon afterwards, Bengali settlers attacked Indigenous villages. Witnesses and human-rights reports accused members of the security forces and Village Defence Party of taking part in the violence or supporting the attackers.

Amnesty International reported that at least 36 Indigenous villagers were killed, although an official inquiry gave a figure of 16. Reports also said that between six and eleven villages were attacked. Hundreds of houses and several Buddhist temples were burned or destroyed.

No widely accepted judicial process established responsibility for all the killings.

9. Malya Massacre

Date: 2 February 1992
Location: Malya, Rangamati
Government in power: BNP government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Reported deaths: Around 30

The Malya incident began when two bombs exploded on a passenger boat carrying Indigenous civilians. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission reported that one person was killed by the explosions.

Passengers who survived and reached the shore were then attacked. Around 30 people were reportedly killed in the full incident.

Responsibility for the bombing remains disputed. Different sides blamed the Shanti Bahini and people connected to the security authorities. However, the victims included ordinary Indigenous passengers who were not taking part in fighting. (IWGIA)

Because no open and independent judicial investigation settled the question of responsibility, the article should not identify one side as the proven organiser of the bombing.

10. Logang Massacre

Date: 10 April 1992
Location: Logang, Panchari, Khagrachari
Government in power: BNP government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Reported deaths: Official figure 12; independent and Indigenous reports say more than 100

Logang is one of the best-known massacres in the history of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The violence began after an incident involving a Bengali youth and an Indigenous woman. A rumour spread that the youth had been killed by the Shanti Bahini. Bengali settlers, Bangladesh Rifles members and army personnel were then accused of attacking Logang cluster village.

The government inquiry reported 12 deaths and two missing people. Other reports said that more than 100 people, and possibly several hundred, were killed. About 550 houses were reportedly burned. (IWGIA)

Human-rights organisations questioned the official inquiry. They raised concerns about contradictions, the treatment of witnesses and the large difference between the official figure and survivor accounts.

The exact number of victims may never be known, but Logang remains a major symbol of violence and impunity in the CHT.

11. Dhalupara Killings

Date: 30 May 1992
Location: Dhalupara, Kaukhali, Rangamati
Government in power: BNP government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Reported deaths: Seven

According to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, a Bengali settler died during a dispute involving Bengali groups. A rumour then spread that the Shanti Bahini was responsible.

Bengali settlers attacked the nearby Indigenous villages. The Commission reported that seven Indigenous people were killed, a Buddhist monk was badly injured and around 40 houses were burned. It also alleged collaboration by members of the security forces. (IWGIA)

Dhalupara is not included in every list of major CHT massacres because fewer people were killed than at Kaukhali, Logang or Longadu. However, it was a documented collective attack against Indigenous civilians and should not be left out of the history.

12. Naniarchar Massacre

Date: 17 November 1993
Location: Naniarchar, Rangamati
Government in power: BNP government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Reported deaths: Around 20 to more than 30

Indigenous students and residents organised a protest against an army checkpoint and alleged harassment of local people.

Bengali settlers attacked the protesters and other Indigenous residents near Naniarchar Bazaar. Witnesses alleged that soldiers opened fire, supported the attackers or failed to protect the Indigenous people.

Early official figures were lower, but the government later acknowledged 20 deaths, including one Bengali. Media reports placed the figure near 23, while local organisations reported around 30 or more. The CHT Commission recorded at least 29 Jumma deaths and more than 100 wounded.

The government formed an inquiry committee, but its full report was not made public. Naniarchar is remembered as one of the last major massacres before the 1997 CHT Accord.

Violence After the 1997 CHT Accord

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord was signed on 2 December 1997 between the Government of Bangladesh and the PCJSS. It formally ended the armed conflict, but killings, mass arson, land disputes and attacks on Indigenous villages continued. (Amnesty International)

Mahalchari Attack, 2003

Date: 26 August 2003
Government in power: BNP-led government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

Indigenous villages in Mahalchari were attacked after the killing of a Bengali man. Amnesty International documented the deaths of an Indigenous man and a nine-month-old baby. It also reported sexual violence, the burning of about 312 houses, the looting of another 68 houses and attacks on four Buddhist temples.

Witnesses alleged that soldiers in civilian clothes took part or assisted the attackers. The authorities denied direct military involvement. (Amnesty International)

Baghaichari–Sajek Attacks, 2010

Date: 19–20 February 2010
Government in power: Awami League government under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Indigenous villages in the Baghaichari and Sajek areas were attacked and burned during a conflict over land and settlement.

Academic research reports that Bengali settlers carried out arson attacks with support from members of the security forces. Indigenous villagers fled, and in some cases their land was later occupied. The exact number of deaths remains disputed, but the destruction and displacement were extensive. (Cambridge University Press)

Longadu Mass Arson, 2017

Date: 2 June 2017
Government in power: Awami League government under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

After a Bengali motorbike driver was found dead, crowds attacked Indigenous villages in Longadu.

Police told Reuters that more than 200 Indigenous homes and shops were burned. Gunamala Chakma, an elderly woman, died after being trapped inside her burning home.

The attack showed how a criminal incident and rumours could quickly be used to direct collective violence against an entire Indigenous community. (Reuters)

Dighinala–Khagrachari–Rangamati Violence, 2024

Date: 19–20 September 2024
Government in power: Interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus

Violence began in Dighinala and later spread to Khagrachari and Rangamati. At least four Indigenous men were killed, dozens were injured, and homes, shops and religious properties were attacked or burned.

A European Union Agency for Asylum report, drawing on available reporting, recorded four Indigenous deaths, around 75 injuries and 142 properties that were looted, damaged or burned. The interim government announced an investigation committee. (Reuters)

The incident is often described as communal violence or a coordinated attack. A final independent investigation is necessary before all responsibility can be stated as established fact.

Which Governments Were in Power?

BNP under President Ziaur Rahman

The BNP was in power during:

• Mubachari, 1979
• Kaukhali–Kalampati, 1980

Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP in 1978, and the party won a large parliamentary majority in the 1979 election. (Bangladesh Nationalist Party)

Military and Jatiya Party Rule under H. M. Ershad

The Ershad regime was in power during:

• Barkal–Bhusanchhara, 1984
• Panchari, 1986
• Matiranga, 1986
• Comillatilla–Taindong, 1986
• Baghaichari-area attacks, 1988
• Longadu, 1989

The 1984 incident happened under direct military rule. Ershad formed the Jatiya Party in 1986, and the later incidents occurred during his Jatiya Party government. (Banglapedia)

BNP under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

The BNP was in power during:

• Malya, 1992
• Logang, 1992
• Dhalupara, 1992
• Naniarchar, 1993
• Mahalchari, 2003

Khaleda Zia served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. (Banglapedia)

Awami League under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

The Awami League was in power during:

• Baghaichari–Sajek attacks, 2010
• Longadu mass arson, 2017

Interim Government under Muhammad Yunus

The interim government was in power during:

• Dighinala–Khagrachari–Rangamati violence, 2024

Again, the government being in office does not automatically prove that the prime minister, president, chief adviser or political party ordered an attack. The purpose of naming the government is to show who held responsibility for public security, investigation and justice at the time.

A History Without Justice

The incidents in this article happened under different governments. Yet the pattern was often similar: a killing or rumour created tension, Indigenous villages were attacked, homes and temples were burned, and families were displaced.

In many cases, survivors accused soldiers, paramilitary personnel or Bengali settlers of direct involvement. Government authorities often denied the allegations or gave much lower casualty figures. The Shanti Bahini was also accused of serious abuses, including killings of Bengali civilians. Amnesty International documented abuses by both state forces and the armed opposition, while noting repeated massacres and attacks against Indigenous communities.

Most inquiry reports were incomplete, disputed or never made public. Very few perpetrators were successfully prosecuted. This failure created a long culture of impunity.

Conclusion

The history of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is not only a history of armed conflict. It is also a history of ordinary Indigenous men, women, children, students, farmers and monks who lost their lives, homes and ancestral land.

The exact number of massacres and victims remains disputed. But disagreement over numbers must not be used to deny the violence itself.

Remembering these massacres is not a call for hatred against any community. It is a demand for truth, justice and recognition. Bangladesh should release past inquiry reports, investigate unresolved killings, recognise the victims, protect Indigenous land rights and fully implement the 1997 CHT Accord.

There can be no lasting peace when the dead are forgotten and survivors are denied justice. Remembering the Chittagong Hill Tracts massacres is essential for truth, accountability and reconciliation.

Some historical records identify at least 29 massacres, killings and major mass attacks against Indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Most of the large-scale massacres took place after the Bangladesh government began settling Bengali Muslims from the plains on or near Indigenous ancestral land. This settlement programme increased land dispossession, militarisation, ethnic tension and violent retaliation across the region.

The table below presents the reported incidents in chronological order, together with the governments that were in power at the time.

No.	Massacre or incident	Location	Date	Government in power	Leader in power
1	Merung–Hazachara–Boalkhali Massacre	Dighinala	1972	Awami League Government	Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
2	Thanchi Massacre	Thanchi	November 1976–January 1977	Military Government	President Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem; Ziaur Rahman as Chief Martial Law Administrator
3	Matiranga–Guimara–Manikchari Massacre	Khagrachari region	1977	Military rule	Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem early in the year; President Ziaur Rahman after 21 April 1977
4	Mubachari Massacre	Mahalchari	15 October 1979	BNP Government	President Ziaur Rahman
5	Kalampati Massacre	Kaukhali	25 March 1980	BNP Government	President Ziaur Rahman
6	Harina Massacre	Barkal	10–22 December 1980	BNP Government	President Ziaur Rahman
7	Banraibari–Beltali–Belchari Massacre	Ramgarh	26 June 1981	BNP Government	President Ziaur Rahman
8	Tailafang–Asalong–Gourangpara–Tabalchari–Barnal Massacre	Matiranga	19 September 1981	BNP Administration	President Abdus Sattar
9	Golakpatimachara–Machhyachara–Tarabanchara Massacre	Panchari	26 June and 11, 26 and 27 July 1983	Ershad Military Government	President H. M. Ershad
10	Bhusanchhara Massacre	Barkal	31 May 1984	Ershad Military Government	President H. M. Ershad
11	Jurachari Massacre	Jurachari	10 September 1984	Ershad Military Government	President H. M. Ershad
12	Panchari Massacre	Panchari	1 May 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
13	Matiranga Massacre	Matiranga	2 May 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
14	Comillatilla–Taindong Massacre	Matiranga	18 May 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
15	Pablakhali–Kabakhali–Bara Merung Massacre	Khagrachari region	13–15 June 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
16	Manikchari Massacre	Manikchari	1–5 July 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
17	Longadu Massacre	Longadu	12 July 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
18	Panchari Massacre	Panchari	21 July 1986	Ershad regime	President H. M. Ershad
19	Longadu Massacre	Longadu	30 July 1988	Jatiya Party Government	President H. M. Ershad
20	Hirachar–Shrabantali–Khagrachari–Pablakhali Massacre	Baghaichari	8–10 August 1988	Jatiya Party Government	President H. M. Ershad
21	Longadu Massacre	Longadu	4 May 1989	Jatiya Party Government	President H. M. Ershad
22	Malya Massacre	Baghaichari	2 February 1992	BNP Government	Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
23	Logang Massacre	Panchari	10 April 1992	BNP Government	Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
24	Naniarchar Massacre	Naniarchar	17 November 1993	BNP Government	Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
25	Mahalchari Mass Attack	Mahalchari, Khagrachari	26 August 2003	BNP-led Four-Party Alliance Government	Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
26	Baghaichari–Sajek Mass Attack	Sajek and Baghaichari, Rangamati	19–20 February 2010	Awami League Government	Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
27	Longadu Arson and Mass Attack	Longadu, Rangamati	2 June 2017	Awami League Government	Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
28	Dighinala–Khagrachari–Rangamati Mass Attacks	Khagrachari and Rangamati	19–20 September 2024	Interim Government	Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus
29	Khagrachari–Guimara Killings and Mass Attacks	Khagrachari and Guimara	28 September 2025	Interim Government	Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Editor’s Note

This article is based on reports by Amnesty International, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, IWGIA, academic researchers and established news organisations. Casualty figures differ between official inquiries, witnesses and Indigenous organisations. Where the evidence is disputed, this article presents the main reported figures rather than declaring one figure final.

The phrase “government in power” identifies the administration responsible for governing Bangladesh at the time. It does not, by itself, prove that a political party or its senior leaders planned or ordered a particular attack.

Main References

• Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission, Life Is Not Ours and later updates. (IWGIA)
• Amnesty International, reports on human-rights violations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
• International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, CHT reports and historical records. (IWGIA)
• Bhumitra Chakma, research on violence, settlement and demographic change in the CHT. (JSTOR)
• Reuters reporting on Longadu in 2017 and the violence of September 2024. (Reuters)

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