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| Villagers cremating the body of Akhra Marma, killed by army gunfire, in the middle of the night. |
Guimara Correspondent, CHT News
Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Authorities forced the cremation of the bodies of
three people killed in the army-settler attack in Guimara, Khagrachari
district, late at night—without any social or religious rites.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that members of the
army are still surrounding the Ramesu Bazar area and are not allowing displaced
and affected locals to return to their burnt homes and shops. Those injured in
the attack and currently receiving treatment at various places are also living
in fear, as there are rumors that the administration might file cases against
them.
Notably, on Sunday (28 September 2025), during a road
blockade called by "Jumma Student-Public" demanding the arrest and
punishment of all perpetrators involved in the rape of a Marma teenage girl in
Khagrachari, army personnel and settlers jointly attacked the demonstrators at
Ramesu Bazar in Guimara. In this attack, three people were shot dead by the
army, several others were critically injured, and at least 30 people were
wounded. Additionally, settlers set fire to homes of indigenous people in and
around Ramesu Bazar.
The deceased have been identified as:
1. Thwaiching Marma (25), son of Hlachaing Marma,
village: Bottola Para, Hafchari, Guimara – a driver by profession.
2. Akhra Marma (24), son of Aparu Marma, village:
Saingguli Para, Baropilak, Guimara.
3. Athuipru Marma (26), son of Thwaihlaong Marma,
village: Lichu Bagan, Hafchari, Guimara.
After the incident, the Khagrachari district police
recovered the three bodies and sent them to Khagrachari Sadar Hospital for
autopsy. The following day (29 September), when the families of the deceased
went to receive the bodies, hospital authorities delayed handing them over
citing that the autopsies were not yet completed.
Later, at around 9:30 p.m., the bodies were handed
over to the families. While returning with the bodies under police escort, the
vehicles were stopped for about half an hour at a military checkpoint under the
Matiranga Army Zone. After being released, the bodies reached their respective
villages around 11:30 p.m. Each body was escorted by two army vehicles and one
police vehicle.
Local residents reported that, along with the army and
police, members of the notorious Mottaleb Bahini (a known pro-military
vigilante group) were also present with the vehicles carrying the bodies of
Thwaiching Marma and Akhra Marma.
The Guimara Upazila administration then pressured the
villagers to complete the cremation within the night. This created fear among
the villagers. Under administrative pressure, the villagers were compelled to
cremate the bodies at midnight, without performing any religious rites.
Villagers said they were forced to carry out the
cremation without religious rituals due to the intense pressure from the
Guimara administration.
Such behavior by the authorities has sparked outrage
in the area. Civic groups and conscious individuals have condemned the
administration’s actions, saying that forcing the cremation of bodies without
religious rites is a clear violation of human rights. They call for people to
raise their voices against such actions.
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