Bangladesh, Rangamati | March 18, 2026: In the name of security and national interest, a new kind of situation is slowly emerging in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In many cases, security concerns are being applied in ways that affect religious practice and everyday coexistence among local communities.

 

A recent incident in Farua Union, under Bilaichhari upazila of Rangamati, has raised fresh concern. A note reportedly sent from a nearby camp to the monks of a central Buddhist monastery instructed that chanting should not take place during the five daily Muslim prayer times—Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

 

This instruction stands out because, for many years, religious practices in the area have continued without reported conflict. Chanting and prayer have taken place side by side, and there has been no widely known complaint. This raises an important question: if there was no problem before, why introduce a restriction now?

 

In the hill areas, Buddhist monasteries are not only places of worship. They are also part of community life, culture, and identity. These practices are long-standing and have continued across generations. Because of this, any restriction on them carries deeper meaning beyond a simple administrative decision.

 

If there were concerns about inconvenience between religious practices, there were more appropriate ways to address them. This is a public matter and should have been handled through discussion. Local civil authorities, elected representatives, and community leaders could have worked together to find a balanced and acceptable solution.

 

However, in this case, such a process does not appear to have taken place. Instead, a direct instruction was issued. This raises questions about procedure, balance of authority, and respect for local realities.

 

Farua is a remote hill area where Indigenous communities have lived for generations, preserving their traditions and religious practices through mutual understanding. These practices existed long before the current security presence in the region. In such a setting, attempts to regulate long-standing religious activities without consultation raise serious concerns about authority, respect, and local rights. Introducing such restrictions risks creating tension in a place where coexistence had long been maintained.

 

Religion is a deeply personal and social part of life. Lasting peace cannot be built through imposed limits without dialogue. It depends on respect, communication, and fair process.

 

The hill communities have long shown that coexistence is possible. The need now is to protect that balance, not to disturb it.