Settlers observe peaceful hartal

The daylong hartal in three hill districts called by Bangalee settlers demanding cancellation of CHT Land Commission Act amendment proposal is progressing peacefully on Sunday.

In Rangamati, Parbatya Somo Odhikar Andolan and Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Oikya Parishad called the shutdown to realise the demand.

In Khagrachhari, Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad (PBCP) called the dawn to dusk strike in the three districts over same demand.

Meanwhile, Bandarban district unit PBCP called the daylong shutdown in the districts to protest the amendment.

RANGAMATI

The daylong hartal started at 6:00am and was being observed without any untoward incident.

No vehicles were seen plying the roads, and shops and other businesses were also remained closed.

Local colleges were kept open amid the hartal.

KHAGRACHHARI

The shutdown was peaceful in the district until 11:00am when the report was filed.

No vehicles were seen plying the roads.

Roadside shops and other businesses were remained closed.

Schools and colleges were open during the hartal.

BANDARBAN

PBCP men brought out a procession from press club intersection around 10:00am.

They paraded through the key points of the town before returning to the intersection.

Small vehicles like rickshaws and three wheelers were seen on the roads while inter-district buses were kept stationed during the hartal in the district.

BACKGROUND

The cabinet on May 27 approved in principle amendments to a draft law aiming to resolve the longstanding land disputes in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

The proposed “Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Land Dispute Resolution Commission (Amendment) Act-2013″ recommends that the number of the commission’s members be increased to five from existing three.

The five-member commission will be headed by a retired judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, while the Chittagong divisional commissioner will act as its member secretary. A representative of CHT Regional Parishad’s chairman and two indigenous people or circle chiefs will also be in the commission.