‘Gunfight’ between PCJSS (Parent Org to Shanti Bahini) factions in Bandarban leaves 6 killed

[DalalErMaNodi]

At least six people were killed and three others injured in a "gunfight" between two factions of Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) in Bandarban Sadar upazila this morning, police said.

Bandarban's Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Mobasser Hossain told The Daily Star that the gunfight took place between the members of PCJSS and PCJSS (reform) groups.

Six persons including the president of PCJSS (reform) were killed in the gunfight, he said. However, his name and other details could not be known immediately.

Identities of the other victims could not be ascertained either.

Earlier, the district's Superintendent of Police Jerin Akhter said, "The gunfight took place at Baghmara area under Sadar upazila around 7:00 am."


"We are investigating the incident and police are on the spot," she told our Chattogram correspondent.


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It is most interesting that the remnants of Shanti Bahini under Shantu Larma are now at each others throats.

It is a well known fact that the CHT rebel group Shanti Bahini is not for the welfare of all CHT inhabitants but an insurgency by the Chakma people, during the conflict they killed other indigenous people from other tribes who opposed the movement against the Government of Bangladesh.

This is a continuation of the aforementioned power struggle, the enemies of BD are at each others throats again.

 

[fallstuff]

Why is this flaring up now , who is behind it ?

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Why is this flaring up now , who is behind it ?

There are two major factions, the reformist MN larma group and the notorious shantu larma cabal.

They're both brothers as the names suggest, MN died way back in 80s but his disciples are still here. Anyway his brother Shantu larma is the leader of PCJSS and also a staunch separatist.


He has toned his rhetoric down since 1997, after the CHT peace accord was signed but he remains a wild card and regularly reminds Dhaka of their 'Obligations' by virtue of fiery and provocative speeches.


Now even inside PCJSS, there are people who want to get along with the Government in Dhaka and conform to the Bangladeshi law and culture, they seek to better integrate themselves. This is the MN larma group.


This has angered the extremist Shantu larma led faction and he is now out for blood, simply people more and more hill tribespeople are backing MN Larma's conformist group.

There currently three groups in PCJSS from my understanding :

- Shantu Larma led (hardcore separatists)

- MN Larma {Namesake} (Conformists / reformist)

- Rest of PCJSS, who are as of yet unaligned


This is not the first time blood has been spilled in CHT in recent years, last year a Chakma Awami League leader was shot dead by the same miscreants and even more recently some people were killed yet again my Shantu's group.


Shantu Larma himself regularly appears in public and often visits Dhaka, he is you virtually 'untouchable' because arresting him will end in his disciples causing havoc in CHT.


In short, Shantu Larma is holding Dhaka hostage with covert help from New Delhi. He was in India, just last year, If memory serves me right.

 

[fallstuff]

There are two major factions, the reformist MN larma group and the notorious shantu larma cabal.

They're both brothers as the names suggest, MN died way back in 80s but his disciples are still here. Anyway his brother Shantu larma is the leader of PCJSS and also a staunch separatist.


He has toned his rhetoric down since 1997, after the CHT peace accord was signed but he remains a wild card and regularly reminds Dhaka of their 'Obligations' by virtue of fiery and provocative speeches.


Now even inside PCJSS, there are people who want to get along with the Government in Dhaka and conform to the Bangladeshi law and culture, they seek to better integrate themselves. This is the MN larma group.


This has angered the extremist Shantu larma led faction and he is now out for blood, simply people more and more hill tribespeople are backing MN Larma's conformist group.

There currently three groups in PCJSS from my understanding :

- Shantu Larma led (hardcore separatists)

- MN Larma {Namesake} (Conformists / reformist)

- Rest of PCJSS, who are as of yet unaligned


This is not the first time blood has been spilled in CHT in recent years, last year a Chakma Awami League leader was shot dead by the same miscreants and even more recently some people were killed yet again my Shantu's group.


Shantu Larma himself regularly appears in public and often visits Dhaka, he is you virtually 'untouchable' because arresting him will end in his disciples causing havoc in CHT.


In short, Shantu Larma is holding Dhaka hostage with covert help from New Delhi. He was in India, just last year, If memory serves me right.

Respective folks need to keep an eye on it so this does not go out of control under some guise.

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Respective folks need to keep an eye on it so this does not go out of control under some guise.

The army is stationed in CHT in large numbers, when travelling to bandarban or khaggrachari, there are military checkposts. Military has multiple cantonments in CHT but also in Chittagong.

The army has turned this fairly inaccessible place around by building large roads throughout the area not only to improve local standard of living but also to ensure smooth movement of army personnel and equipment as and when required.

BGB has huge presence in CHT, since it's a border area. Bangladesh ansar is also deployed there, to help BGB and army in patrolling the area including the forests.

Apart from this air force base in Cox's bazar is getting an upgrade and atleast a squadron of J10C will be stationed there.

The population of CHT is now 40% bangali, if not more. We will get thorough demographic data next year after the demographic survey is conducted.


Taking these factors into account, I would surmise that it would be foolhardy for the Shantu Larma led Cabal to try anything that may affect the delicate power balance in CHT. What ever happens, the authorities are ready to deal with it.


I have been to Bandarban, Rangamati & Khaggrachari multiple times and having interacted with the locals, I can assure you nobody wants to rebel not the common folk anyway but the PCJSS may instigate them and for this reason we must keep close watch on Shantu and his cabal.

 

[Tom-tom]

There are two major factions, the reformist MN larma group and the notorious shantu larma cabal.

They're both brothers as the names suggest, MN died way back in 80s but his disciples are still here. Anyway his brother Shantu larma is the leader of PCJSS and also a staunch separatist.


He has toned his rhetoric down since 1997, after the CHT peace accord was signed but he remains a wild card and regularly reminds Dhaka of their 'Obligations' by virtue of fiery and provocative speeches.


Now even inside PCJSS, there are people who want to get along with the Government in Dhaka and conform to the Bangladeshi law and culture, they seek to better integrate themselves. This is the MN larma group.


This has angered the extremist Shantu larma led faction and he is now out for blood, simply people more and more hill tribespeople are backing MN Larma's conformist group.

There currently three groups in PCJSS from my understanding :

- Shantu Larma led (hardcore separatists)

- MN Larma {Namesake} (Conformists / reformist)

- Rest of PCJSS, who are as of yet unaligned


This is not the first time blood has been spilled in CHT in recent years, last year a Chakma Awami League leader was shot dead by the same miscreants and even more recently some people were killed yet again my Shantu's group.


Shantu Larma himself regularly appears in public and often visits Dhaka, he is you virtually 'untouchable' because arresting him will end in his disciples causing havoc in CHT.


In short, Shantu Larma is holding Dhaka hostage with covert help from New Delhi. He was in India, just last year, If memory serves me right.

Which group is stronger in numbers?

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Which group is stronger in numbers?

Hard to say, but the reformists are weak (political lobbying wise).

Their leadership is often targeted and they obviously don't have an armed wing.


But they do enjoy lots of support from locals although Shantu Larma is popular as well.

 

[Bilal9]

Hard to say, but the reformists are weak (political lobbying wise).

Their leadership is often targeted and they obviously don't have an armed wing.


But they do enjoy lots of support from locals although Shantu Larma is popular as well.

Ramu is now a major cantonment along with others in CTG. In fact CTG is bristling with Cantonments quite unlike other areas in Bangladesh. I agree that the Army is quite capable of wiping Shantu Larma's group off the face of the earth, but there may be political repercussions that prevents them from doing so.

• Alikadam Cantonment, Bandarban
• Bandarban Cantonment
• Chattogram Cantonment
• Dighinala Cantonment, Khagrachhari
• Halishahar Cantonment, Chattogram
• Kaptai Cantonment, Rangamati
• Khagrachari Cantonment
• Rangamati Cantonment

I support settling many more Bengalis from the rest of Bangladesh in that area for agricultural development, which hasn't seen full potential fulfilled. Coffee, Almond, Cashews and other drainage intensive cash crops can be grown in that area unlike rest of Bangladesh. The area (as we all know) also has great tourism potential.