Indefinite section 144 underway

UNB, Khagrachhari:

Tension continues to grip Khagrachari after the mob killing of Abul Hasnat Muhammad Sohel Rana, a teacher at Khagrachhari Technical School and College.

In the wake of the violence, authorities have enforced an indefinite Section 144, restricting public gatherings in the district headquarters and surrounding municipal areas to prevent further clashes.

According to local sources, the situation escalated after Sohel Rana was lynched on Tuesday afternoon over allegations of sexually assaulting a student.

What began as a protest quickly spiraled into violence, with reports emerging that at least 20 businesses in the town’s Pankhaiyapara and Mahajanpara neighborhoods were vandalised and looted.

Most of the affected shops, which include clothing stores, beauty parlors, and food outlets, are reportedly owned by members of the ethnic minority community. Even a private hospital did not escape the destruction.

The violence has deepened tensions between the hill community and Bengalis.

The Khagrachhari district remains under heavy security, with army patrols and additional police forces deployed to maintain order. Although some long-distance buses resumed service this morning, local roads remain largely deserted, with only a handful of vehicles braving the streets.

The violence traces back to allegations against Sohel Rana, who had previously been jailed in 2021 following a similar accusation of raping a student. Although he was acquitted in that case, the fresh allegations led to public outrage, culminating in Tuesday’s fatal attack.