The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (; United People's Committee of the Chittagong Hill Tracts; abbreviated PCJSS) is a left-wing political party in Bangladesh formed to represent minority communities and small tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Since its inception in 1972, the PCJSS has fought for autonomy and the recognition of the ethnic identity and rights of the tribes of the Hill Tracts. Its former armed wing, the Shanti Bahini (now disbanded), used to fight government forces and Bengali Muslim settlers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. A peace accord signed in 1997 led to the disarmament of the Shanti Bahini and enabled the PCJSS to return to mainstream politics.
Background
The roots of the PCJSS can be traced to the Hill Tracts Students' Association and the Parbatya Chattagram Upajatiya Kalyan Samiti (United People's Welfare and Development Committee of the Chittagong Hill Tracts) that were organised in the 1960s in what was then, East Pakistan. The organisations agitated on behalf of the 100,000 natives displaced by the construction of the Kaptai Dam, seeking rehabilitation and compensation. The government policy recognised only the Bengali culture and the Bengali language and designating all citizens of Bangladesh as Bengalis. In talks with Hill Tracts delegation led by Manabendra Narayan Larma, the country's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman insisted that the ethnic groups of the Hill Tracts adopt the Bengali identity. The PCJSS held its first national conference on 24 June 1972 at Indrapuri Cinema Hall of Rangamati town. A 60-member Central Committee of PCJSS was constituted with Birendra Kishore Roaza as president
and M. N. Larma as the general secretary.
Four-point manifesto and foundation
On 24 April 1972, Manabendra Narayan Larma presented a four-point manifesto Many insurgents are believed to have trained, equipped and sheltered in the neighbouring Indian state of Tripura. During the insurgency, the PCJSS strongly opposed the government-driven settlement of Bengali Muslims in the Hill Tracts as a ploy to marginalise the tribes in their home region. The PCJSS also rejected the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board and other government plans for local councils. The PCJSS has continued to agitate for the full and proper implementation of the peace accord and has alleged lack of government action and intimidation by security forces and demanded the withdrawal of Operation Uttaran.
On 4 June 2025, Indian Police arrested 13 fighters of the PCJSS in Agartala, Tripura, India and one of the arrested was a 17-year-old Bitu Chakma. On 19 June 2025, India's security forces reportedly seized methamphetamine tablets valued at approximately Rs 104.3 million (about US$1.3 million) in Mizoram, allegedly belonging to the PCJSS."
Jumma Liberation Army
On 1 July 2025, the new armed wing of the PCJSS "Jumma Liberation Army" abducted six tribal villagers. The abducted were Dhanamuni Chakma (19), Sukesh Chakma (22), Lakshi Shanti Chakma (35), Bhanga Hada Chakma (35), Shan Bikash Chakma (36), and Hullaya Chakma (22) from the remote Rangapani Chhara village in Rangamati District. The JLA demanded BDT 600,000 (approximately $5,500) for their release.