The Bangladesh Army has decided to relocate a temporary patrol base in the Bormachhari area of Khagrachhari following protests and false claims orchestrated by the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The military had set up the base on 18 October in a forested zone under the Forest Department as part of an ongoing counter-insurgency operation after a deadly UPDF attack in Ramsu Bazar on 28 September, which left three youths dead. Intelligence reports confirmed that UPDF militants used automatic weapons targeting both civilians and army personnel.
The ISPR said UPDF members soon incited protests, using local residents to falsely claim that the base had been built on monastery land. Around 1,000 people, including women and children, gathered near the site on 24 October, confronting army personnel.
“The claim was baseless. The base was established on government forest land,” the ISPR clarified, adding that Bormachhari is a known UPDF stronghold and key route for arms smuggling.
To prevent further unrest and protect local communities, the army has opted to shift the patrol base to a new location. The ISPR emphasized that the Bangladesh Army remains committed to maintaining peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts while respecting religious and ethnic sensitivities.
