Rights Group Warns of Potential Rebellion in Chittagong Hill Tracts on Ending Tribal Quotas!

New Delhi: Ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming general elections on February 12, 2026, in which Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman (also referred to as Tarique Zia) is widely expected to play a key role and potentially become prime minister, a prominent human rights organisation has issued a stark warning of unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), through its Director Suhas Chakma, sent a formal communication to Tarique Rahman following his recent remarks at Chittagong University. In the interaction, Rahman declared support for “equal rights” (sama adhikar) for all citizens, stating there would be no quotas for the tribal population of the CHT and emphasising that hill tribes are “Bangladeshis” and not “indigenous peoples.”

Suhas Chakma cautioned that implementing such a policy could trigger rebellion in the region as a last resort. He argued that “equal rights” are not absolute and that progressive constitutions and international human rights standards allow for positive discrimination, affirmative action, and reservations to protect vulnerable communities and achieve genuine equality.

Chakma highlighted relevant legal provisions under Article 29(3) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, which empowers the government to provide reservations in public employment for backward groups.

He also spoke of Article 1(4) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ratified by Bangladesh), permitting special measures for disadvantaged groups.

He added that the BNP itself had previously enacted laws supporting reservations, such as the Jatiya Sangsad (Reserved Women Seats) Election Act, 2004.

On the recognition of indigenous status, Chakma pointed to Clause 19 of the Sixth Schedule (Tax Exemptions, Rebate, and Credits Exclusion from the Computation of Total Income) in the Income Tax Act, 2023 of Bangladesh, gazetted on October 16, 2025, which officially recognises the adivasis (indigenous peoples) of the CHT as “indigenous” hillmen.

With Bangladesh’s population exceeding 180 million and indigenous peoples numbering around one million (a tiny minority), Chakma stressed that without quotas or reservations, these communities, already marginalised and historically disadvantaged, would struggle to secure public sector jobs under a merit-only system. He warned that removing quotas and repealing special protective laws could erode their distinct identities and push the CHT toward renewed conflict.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts, home to diverse indigenous Jumma communities (including Chakma, Marma, Tripura, and others), has a long history of tension over land rights, autonomy, and identity. The 1997 CHT Peace Accord aimed to address these issues, but implementation remains incomplete, with periodic flare-ups of violence and rights concerns.

RRAG’s alert comes amid heightened political activity in Bangladesh, where the BNP under Tarique Rahman’s leadership is campaigning strongly. The group urged reconsideration of any move to eliminate affirmative measures for indigenous peoples to prevent escalation in this sensitive region.

No immediate response from Tarique Rahman or the BNP to the RRAG communication has been reported.