Symbolic photo
Matiranga (Khagrachhari), CHT News
Monday, June 22, 2026
An Indigenous teacher was stopped and searched by security forces on his way to school in Matiranga, Khagrachhari, on Monday morning, June 22, 2026, in an incident that has drawn attention to the routine harassment faced by residents of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The incident took place at around 9:30 AM in the Jointhkhamar area between Matiranga and Bailyachhori, when security personnel halted the teacher's motorcycle under the pretext of a security check. The teacher later described the incident in a Facebook post that has since circulated widely.
According to his account, the personnel asked him what was stored under his motorcycle seat. When he replied that there was nothing there and offered to let them inspect it, they proceeded to search his bag as well, finding only a tiffin box, lunch, and a marker pen.
When the teacher pointed out that he had a class at 10:00 AM and that the delay would cause him to miss it, the personnel told him that the checks were necessary following a shooting linked to an extortion attempt in the area.
The teacher pushed back, questioning why security forces had not intervened when extortion was allegedly being collected openly, including, he said, within 100 metres of an army checkpoint at Zero Mile.
"We all know who is running these operations, and so do you," he wrote in his post.
He further claimed that the personnel appeared to feign ignorance about the location of Zero Mile.
The exchange ended with the teacher telling the security personnel that their role was simply to follow orders, before continuing on his way.
Incidents of this kind, in which residents, including
teachers, government employees, and daily commuters, are stopped and searched
without apparent cause, are frequently reported across the CHT. Rights groups
and community members say such practices contribute to a pervasive climate of
fear, frustration, and resentment toward security forces in the CHT.
---------------