CHT people's basic rights still a far cry
People in Chittagong and in three districts that comprise the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) yesterday held different programmes, marking the 19th anniversary of CHT Peace Accord.
In Bandarban town, speakers at a rally demanded that the government fully implement the accord, reports our correspondent.
Fundamental rights of the CHT ethnic minorities have not been ensured yet, with the accord not being fully implemented, they said.
Ethnic minority leaders alleged that influential land grabbers in collusion with local administrations are continuously grabbing the minorities' ancestral land.
Meanwhile, Bandarban district unit leaders of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) alleged that law enforcement agencies harassed some of their community men while they were going to the town from Rowangchhari upazila to join the programme.
"We strongly condemned the harassment," said KS Mong Marma, member of the PCJSS central unit.
However, Sanjit Kumar Banik, superintendent of police in Bandarban, refuted the allegation, saying, "We did security checks only."
PCJSS also organised rallies and meetings in the district's different upazilas, attended by thousands of ethnic minority people.
In Rangamati, PCJSS held a discussion on the Rangamati Gymnasium premises in the town, adds a correspondent in the district.
Uchaton Talukdar, lawmaker from Rangamati, and Prokriti Ranjan Chakma, president of Bangladesh Adibasi Forum's CHT region, attended the discussion with Suborno Chakma, president of PCJSS Rangamati unit, in the chair.
When addressing the discussion, Uchaton Talukdar said, "The government claimed to have implemented 48 out of 72 clauses, which is not true. Only 26 clauses have so far been implemented."
Mentioning that the CHT people are living in fear and insecurity, he mentioned that they have ardently been awaiting the agreement's full implementation for 19 years.
Also, Rangamati Hill District Council brought out a colourful procession followed by a discussion on the Rangamati municipality premises.
In Khagrachhari, local lawmaker Kujendra Lal Tripura inaugurated another rally at the Khagrachari Hill District Council compound, adds a correspondent in the district.
The district council held the rally joined, among others, by its Chairman Kongjari Chowdhry and the district's Deputy Commissioner Md Ohahidujamman.
In Chittagong city, speakers at another rally too stressed the need for the quick implementation of the accord, reports our staff correspondent. Chittagong-based civil society members held the rally at Muslim Institute Hall at 3:00pm.
Speakers said if the peace deal was not fully implemented, then the hill tracts' condition might return to its previous state of volatility.
Among others, Sarat Jyoti Chakma, president of Bangladesh Adibashi Forum's Chittagong unit, Advocate Nitai Prashad Ghosh, general secretary of the Chittagong chapter of Bangladesh Hindu-Boudha-Christian Oikya Parishad, and Mohsin Chowdhury, general secretary of Chittagong Press Club, addressed the rally where women leader Mustari Shafi was the chief guest.
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