‘Trust and coordination’ is essential to ensure the development of Chittagong Hill Tracts: Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister

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Deepen Dewan, Minister of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, mentioned that mutual trust and coordination of the work of the concerned departments are important conditions for ensuring the long-term peace and development of Chittagong Hill Tracts. He urged to give importance to local government institutions of hilly areas such as regional councils and district councils in development. He also spoke about the need for dialogue with the signatories to implement the Mountain Accord.

The minister said this while participating in a round table meeting at Karwan Bazar Prothom Alo office in the capital on Thursday.

This roundtable titled ‘Livelihoods in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Region, Current Context and Obstacles’ was jointly organized by the Foundation for Humanity and Prothom Alo. The European Union was in cooperation.

The minister felt that there is no scope for stopping the tourism sector or discouraging foreign donor agencies on the pretext of security in the hilly areas. He said that all forces including army, police, BGB are active in the security of this region. According to him, in order to earn foreign currency or dollars by exploiting the immense potential of the tourism sector, this sector must be fully opened up. The coordination of the work of the office should be increased by coming out of the security barrier.

While many international aid organizations and donor countries are interested in working for the development of the mountainous region, the minister said that it is not happening due to various complications. When NGOs or foreign organizations enter the mountainous region, a kind of negative and suspicious attitude is created. It is important to get out of such thinking. Apart from this, due to the control and bureaucratic strife of the Forest Department, the affairs of the farmers are not being developed positively.

The major part of the minister’s speech was about involving regional councils and district councils in development work. He said that the development work of Chittagong Hill Tracts will not work if regional council is not given importance. The district councils must be involved in this work.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council was formed based on the historic Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement of 1997. Three district councils were formed. These three Zilla Parishads are considered by many local government experts as models for the effectiveness of local government institutions. Minister Deepen Dewan also talked about the implementation of the agreement based on which these institutions were built. He said that the party that executed the agreement must be discussed with them.

On December 2, 1997, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement was signed with the Bangladesh government by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Party (JSS). As a result, the armed movement in the hills that lasted for more than two decades came to an end.

The minister said that these three hill district councils – Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachari – will be announced soon.

Emphasizing the criticism and reform of the activities of non-governmental organizations, Deepen Dewan said today that he has full support for the positive work of various organizations in the hilly areas. However, due to the lack of proper supervision or ‘monitoring’ at the field level, the money allocated for poverty alleviation is being wasted or embezzled in many cases, he complained.

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Referring to the political and strategic importance of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the minister said that the stability of the region is based on ‘mutual trust’.

The minister also mentioned that the hill region should not be seen as ‘separate’ or in any other negative way, but its rights and freedoms should be protected and integrated with the mainstream. He said, if these two principles of ‘trust and coordination’ are properly utilized, the region will be able to play a huge and brilliant role in the overall economy of the country along with the economic and political rights of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Shaheen Anam, the executive director of the Foundation for Humanity, said that with the help of the European Union, the Foundation for Humanity and local supporting organizations are implementing a special project to improve the quality of life of the poor and marginalized people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Shaheen Anam said that under this project, the main goal is to make 20,000 families dependent on jum farming self-reliant by dealing with adverse environment, employment and water crisis.

Shaheen Anam demanded various infrastructural developments including development of broken roads, development of educational institutions in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Along with protecting the language, traditions and unique cultural diversity of the small ethnic groups, he highlighted the necessary recommendations to ensure that this sustainable development is maintained even after the end of the project.

In the round table meeting, the First Councilor of the European Union delegation in Bangladesh Edwin Koek Koek called for joint efforts in the sustainable development of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

He reiterated the EU’s strong commitment to poverty alleviation, disparity and achieving sustainable development goals in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

Prothom Alo assistant editor Feroz Chowdhury moderated the round table meeting. Rangamati Hill District Council Chairman Kajal Talukda, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Resilient Livelihoods Program Manager Meher Nigar Bhuiyan, Chittagong Hill Regional Council member Chanchu Chakma, Rangamati Agriculture Extension Directorate (DAE) Deputy Director Md. Moniruzzaman, UNDP Bangladesh Livelihoods and Natural Resource Management Chief Biplab Chakma, Bandarban District Livestock Officer Julhas Ahmed, Ashika Development Associates Executive Director Biplab Chakma, Chittagong Hill Tracts Headman Network General Secretary Shanti Vijay Chakma, PRLC project beneficiary Kajli Tanchangya, The Daily Star Senior Journalist Krishi Jagran Chakma, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Additional Director, Directorate of Extension (DAE), Nikhil Chakma, Project Coordinator, Foundation for People.