IPNEWS BD, International Desk: At the 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), currently underway at the UN Headquarters in New York, Augustina Chakma, a representative of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), made a compelling statement highlighting the precarious situation of indigenous Jumma women in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Speaking on agenda item 5(e) — Interregional, intergenerational and global dialogue on “The rights of Indigenous women” — on 21 April 2025, Augustina Chakma underscored the direct link between the unfulfilled implementation of the historic CHT Accord of 1997 and the ongoing insecurity and disenfranchisement of indigenous women in the region.
She pointed out that the failure to implement key provisions of the Accord — including the withdrawal of temporary military camps, resolution of land disputes, rehabilitation of India-returnee Jumma refugees and internally displaced persons, relocation of Bengali settlers from the CHT, and devolution of authority to the Regional Council and Hill District Councils — continues to hinder political participation and leave indigenous women vulnerable to violence.
“In 2024 alone, there were 12 documented incidents of sexual violence against Jumma women and girls by Muslim settlers, affecting 16 victims,” she stated. “While a handful of perpetrators were arrested, weak legal actions and poor police handling led to their prompt release on bail, perpetuating a culture of impunity in the hills.”
Augustina Chakma also cited a harrowing recent case from March 10, 2024, where a 16-year-old mentally disabled girl from the Khiyang Indigenous community was raped in Bandarban by an outsider named Md. Jamal Hossain. She alleged that “Major Sarwar, commander of the Khamtang Para Army Camp under the 5 East Bengal Regiment, pressured the victim’s family to settle the matter through a ‘social compromise’ rather than pursuing legal recourse. The imposed fine on the perpetrator was repeatedly reduced under army pressure, ultimately leaving the victim’s family without justice or proper compensation.”
Calling upon the international community, Augustina Chakma urged the UN Permanent Forum to take concrete steps by:
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Convincing the Bangladesh government to fully implement the CHT Accord of 1997 to ensure the security and empowerment of indigenous women.
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Recommending the enactment of special protective laws for indigenous women in Bangladesh.
The 24th session of the UNPFII, which began on 21 April and will continue until 2 May 2025, sees participation from three PCJSS representatives — Chanchana Chakma, Augustina Chakma, and Manojit Chakma — alongside other indigenous rights activists from Bangladesh, including Pallab Chakma of Kapaeeng Foundation, Binota Moy Dhamai of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), and Toni Chiran from Bangladesh Indiegnous Youth Forum. A six-member delegation from the Bangladesh government is also in attendance.
The critical issue of indigenous women’s rights in the CHT remains a priority for advocacy groups and international human rights bodies alike, with growing calls for urgent reforms and protection measures.
