Comprehensive national policy needed for char people: Atiur

A comprehensive national policy for the char areas is needed and  this demand should be reflected in the election manifestos of the political parties, former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman said yesterday.

“An independent institutional authority like Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation to coordinate char development initiatives and specific development projects for socio-economic development of char communities are much needed,” he said.

Rahman was addressing a national dialogue on including the demands of char people in election manifesto at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro. Shamunnay, a non-governmental organisation, organised the dialogue on behalf of National Char Alliance.

Rahman is the executive chairperson of Shamunnay.

The current government has led the country to the highway of development and intends to ensure a fair share of this progress for the marginalised communities in the char areas, said Abdur Razzak, presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League.

He said his party would seriously consider incorporating the demands of char people in their election manifesto.

Jatiya Party Co-Chairman GM Quader expected all political parties to come up with explicit commitments to improve service delivery mechanisms and infrastructure in char areas.

Khondker Ibrahim Khaled, chairperson of the alliance and a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, emphasised the need for having an independent development authority to efficiently coordinate and implement development projects in char areas.

Anwar Hossain, vice president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and Dilip Barua, general secretary of Samyabadi Dal, also spoke.