In the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), armed regional insurgent groups have established a pervasive extortion network that touches virtually every aspect of daily economic life. From local shopkeepers and large businesses to farmers transporting bananas, ginger, turmeric, or timber to market, no sector escapes these forced levies. Extortion is imposed on residential construction, livestock trading, […]

At least four political activists sustained injuries when rival factions of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) collided near the Municipal Super Market in Kasba, Brahmanbaria, on Wednesday evening. The violence erupted at approximately 7:00 pm on 4 November following escalating intra-party tension over the announcement of a new local executive committee. Local sources and hospital […]

Dozens of mature trees standing on government land along a four-kilometre stretch of the Sanuhar-Dhamura road in Wazirpur upazila, Barishal, have been illegally felled and removed. Local residents have pointed fingers at Zia Amin Rarhi, president of the upazila Shramik Dal, alleging that he and his associates orchestrated the illicit logging operation. Although the timber […]