After the 2024 July Mass Uprising it was hoped that the overall rights situation of indigenous peoples of the country will improve significantly. It is unfortunate that under the current Interim Government the human rights situation of the Indigenous Peoples has deteriorated. The number of human rights violations including land grabbing, criminalisation, rape, gang-rape, killing after rape, sexual harassment, molestation, torture and filling false cases against the human rights defenders, rights activists and indigenous peoples are alarming, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

At the beginning of the year, on 16 January 2025, a brutal and beastly communal attack was conducted at broad day light upon the ‘aggrieved indigenous student masses’ by the Muslim Bengali settlers and fundamentalist quarters under the banner titled: “Students for Sovereignty.” At this incident, at least 18 male and female students of indigenous origin received critical injuries. Likewise the earlier cases of the kind, 5 people who were involved in the incident were arrested but later on 3 of them were released on bail. No proper trial for the incident has been ascertained as yet.  On the other hand, land grabbing and land related human rights violation also taken place in the CHT and Plain Land. As usual, both state and non-state actors were identified as the grabbers of the indigenous peoples land. Similarly, situation of violence against indigenous women are also very disturbing. On the other hand, the reported incidents of violation of civil and political rights are also very concerning. It indicates that 2024 July uprising did not bring any positive change in the life of indigenous peoples. 

Violence Against indigenous women from 1 Jan-31 July 2025

According to the Kapaeeng Foundation documentation, there were a total of 24 incidents related to violence against indigenous women reported from 1 January-31 July 2025. Among those incidents 21 have been reported in the CHT and the rest in the plains. In all those incidents 24 victims have been identified, where 18 victims were from Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban, and 3 were from Jessore, Ukhiya and Mirsarai Upazila.

Table 1: Type of incidents and number of victims

Type of Incidents	No. of Incidents		No. of victims
	CHT	Plain
Rape	4		4
Gang Rape	2		2
Killing after rape	1	1	2
Sexual Harassment	7		7
Attempt to rape	3	2	5
Molestation	1		1
Torture	3		3
Total	21	3	24

Among them, 4 were raped, 2 were gang-raped, 2 were killed after rape, 7 were sexually harassed, 5 were attempted to rape, 1 was molested and 3 were tortured. At least 6 police cases were filed in connection of these cases and 12 perpetrators were arrested.

Land Related Incidents from 1 Jan-31 July 2025

Meanwhile, there were a total of 15 land related incidents occurred among which 3 were from Noagaon, Sylhet, and Rajshahi and 12 from Rangamati, Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar where 295 persons were reported as the victims of those cases.

During the reporting period, the types of grabbing the lands of indigenous peoples are identified as attempt to establish a new BGB camp in the land of IPs in Barkal Upazila of Rangamati district,  attempt to occupy 130 acres of Jum and fruit plantations belonging to 39 indigenous Jumma families  by Security Forces,   attempt to grab a Buddhist Temple where 300 tress were cut down by security forces,   land grabbing by private companies,   among others .

Violation of Civil & Political Rights from 1 Jan-31 July 2025

During the reporting period, human rights violations related to civil and political rights were occurred against 170 persons in 32 incidents where 2 were from Dhaka and Gobindaganj and 32 were from Rangamati, and Bandarban.

Table 2: Civil and Political Rights violation related incidents

Type of Incidents	CHT	Plain Land	No. of victims
Obstruction from selling goods by security forces	1
Arbitrary arrest by security forces	1		3
Arbitrary arrest in false case by security forces	3		13
Beating, loot and house torch by the land grabbers		1	6
Detention by BGB	1		1
Harassment and threat by BGB	1		3
Detention by the security forces	4		17
Dead after detention	1		3
Beating by security forces	7		18
Migration due to conflict	1		28
House search, vandalization and threatening by the security forces	5		12
Harassment by security forces	4		20
Firing by the security forces	1
Attack by Bengali settlers	1	1	16
Children converted to Islam	1		30
Total	32	2	170

Culture of impunity:

Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh observing a deep-seated culture of impunity continues to embolden perpetrators of human rights violations against indigenous peoples. The tragic killing of three Santal men in Bagdafarm in Gobindagonj in 2016, killing of four youths in Rangamati and Khagrachari, setting on fire of the office of the CHT Regional Council, vandalism and looting of the Buddhist temple in Rangamati in September 2024, and the brutal attack on indigenous students in Dhaka by members of a group called “Students for Sovereignty” in January 2025, stand as grim testaments to this reality. In all mentioned cases, while there was widespread condemnation from civil society and human rights organizations, the pace of justice has been agonizingly slow, and perpetrators have often evaded meaningful accountability. This pattern of inaction sends a chilling message: that the lives and rights of indigenous peoples are less valuable, and that those who harm them can do so with little fear of legal consequence. A truly reformed state must dismantle this culture of impunity by ensuring independent and prompt investigations, prosecuting perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law, and providing redress to victims and their families. This is not just a matter of justice; it is a fundamental requirement for building a nation where all citizens feel safe and protected under the rule of law.

Kapaeeng Foundation  expect concern bodies of the government will take bold steps to ensure justice in all human rights violation cases perpetrated against indigenous peoples. At the same time, the state will protect and promote the human rights of indigenous peoples in the country and ensure security and human dignity of its all citizens.