Draw up road map
Lawmakers yesterday suggested that the stakeholders concerned should chalk out a roadmap with a timeframe to force the government to implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.
They also advised the government to remain vigilant about the anti-CHT Peace Accord force and asked the local administration not to indulge them.
The CHT Peace Accord was signed on this day 18 years ago.
The lawmakers made the comments while addressing a High Level Policy Dialogue on Status of the Implementation of the CHT Accord organised by the parliamentary caucus on indigenous affairs at the capital's CIRDAP International Conference Hall.
Prof Dr Abdullah Al Faruque of law at Chittagong University screened a review of the status of the implementation of the accord.
In his review Prof Faruque said the land right of the “tribal” people in the CHT is violated due to state acquisition of private and common land, forcible occupation by Bangalees interest groups and private and multinational companies for commercial purposes.
Pointing out a portion of the accord which highlights preserving the special characteristics of the region, Prof Faruque said apart from a few legislative measures, no significant legal or administrative steps have been taken by the government so far to protect those special characters.
“On the other hand, continuing influx of Bangalee settlers in the region, illegal land grabbing, inclusion of Bangalee settlers and non-indigenous outsiders on the voter list, issuance of permanent resident certificates by the deputy commissioners and the provision of the Bangalee settlers with employment and other opportunities including lease and settlement of land are destroying the special characters of the region,” he observed.
He further said the delayed implementation of the accord is also creating social instability as the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) and the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) continue to fight among themselves to establish supremacy. Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said it is not possible for the government alone to implement the accord though the same government made its signing possible. “We need cooperation from everyone,” he added.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and member of the Caucus Rashed Khan Menon said the characteristics of CHT are diminishing which should not be overlooked.
“The problems won't be dissolved if the majority gets priority in our mindset,” he said, adding they would give all-out efforts to implement the accord.
Convener of the Caucus and lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha said the accord must be implemented. “If it fails, political distrust will be created among the people,” he noted.
Chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Refugee Affairs Taskforce on indigenous returnee refugees from India and internally displaced people Jatindra Lal Tripura said land dispute is one of the strongest reasons for disharmony in the region.
Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, asked indigenous people of Chittagong to keep patience and work on to implement the accord.
Lawmakers Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Kazi Rozi, Hazera Sultana, Tipu Sultan, Nazmul Haque Pradhan and AKM Fazlul Haq and coordinator of the Caucus Prof Mesbah Kamal, among others, spoke on the occasion.
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