The home minister informed parliament on Thursday that armed groups have killed 308 civilians and eight security personnel in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) over the past five years. During the same period, 297 abductions and 471 extortion cases were recorded in the region.
Responding to a query in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister provided these figures and stated that a special operation against armed groups in the area remains ongoing.
Discrepancy in figures
The Business Standard reported the minister's statement as 308 civilian deaths and eight security personnel fatalities. In contrast, New Age reported a combined total of 316 deaths from armed group attacks in the CHT over the five-year period. The slight variation in the two reports may stem from differences in how civilian and security personnel casualties were aggregated.Special operation continues
The home minister further told parliament that the special operation targeting armed groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is continuing. The operation aims to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of residents in the region.The CHT has long witnessed activity by various armed groups. While abductions and extortion are not new to the area, the government has now released official statistics shedding light on the scale of these incidents in recent years.
