On 6 April 2026, the Rangamati Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate issued a cautionary letter to Rani Yan Yan, an indigenous human rights defender from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), accusing her of spreading “false” and “misleading” information against the Government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Army in international forums. Rani Yan Yan is identified by Front Line Defenders as woman human rights defender, Chakma Rani/Queen, and advisor to the Chakma Circle Chief, working on indigenous peoples’ rights and women’s rights.
The letter followed a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs and referred to intelligence reports alleging that her activities could worsen the “sensitive” political and social situation in the CHT. The letter asked her to refrain from such activities, while New Age reported that the district administration accused her of spreading propaganda against the government and military. Rani Yan Yan rejected the allegations through her lawyer, describing them as vague, baseless, defamatory and harmful to her reputation, and requested clarification as well as withdrawal of the letter.
Civil society actors also criticised the move. For instance, rights activist Nur Khan described it as an attempt to suppress voices and restrict the right to speak on human rights concerns in the CHT. The incident raises concern over possible administrative pressure on human rights defenders, particularly indigenous and women rights activists, and may create a chilling effect on international advocacy, freedom of expression, and civic engagement around rights issues in the CHT.