Ethnic minority, not indigenous people/The tribal people living in Chittagong Hill Tracts are “ethnic minorities” and they should not be called “indigenous” in the region, the government said yesterday in clearing what it said some recent misconceptions about their identity.

Ethnic minority, not indigenous people

FM tells diplomats, editors 

Diplomatic Correspondent 

 

The tribal people living in Chittagong Hill Tracts are “ethnic minorities” and they should not be called “indigenous” in the region, the government said yesterday in clearing what it said some recent misconceptions about their identity.

Briefing foreign diplomats and UN agencies in Dhaka, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said Bangladesh is concerned over attempts by some quarters at home and abroad to identify the ethnic minority groups as indigenous people in the CHT region. 

Neither Bangladesh constitution nor any international laws recognise these people as indigenous, she said.
Dipu Moni also explained the issue to editors and senior journalists from print and electronic media in a separate briefing yesterday and urged them to take note of it.
She told the diplomats that the tribal people most certainly did not reside or exist in the CHT before 16th century and were not considered "indigenous people'' in any historical reference books, memoirs or legal documents.
Quoting the Oxford dictionary, the foreign minister said indigenous people are those who “belong to a particular place rather than coming to it from somewhere else”.
Rather, the CHT people were the late settlers on the Bengal soil and the CHT region compared to the Bangalee native ethnic vast majority residing here for more than 4,000 years, she pointed out.
Emerging from the briefing with diplomats, Dipu Moni told journalists there is a move to distract attention from the government's effort to implement the 1997 CHT peace accord by raising the issue that the tribal people are indigenous.
She said implementation of the peace accord is top priority of the government. But the process will be hampered if controversies are created over the tribal people's identity.
Dipu Moni told the diplomats, "We have noted with concern that the "tribal" people or ethnic minorities in the CHT region have been termed "indigenous peoples" of Bangladesh in two paras of the 2011 Report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues-PFII, in the context of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord."
She asserted that there is no internationally accepted definition of "indigenous peoples", and there is no definition of indigenous at all in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by the PFII in 2006.
Claiming that the CHT people are tribal and not indigenous, the foreign minister said it is well recorded, and recent history of the Indian subcontinent and the CHT region reaffirms that the tribal people of CHT migrated to Bangladesh between 16th and 19th centuries from neighboring countries and Mongoloid nations during the Mughal rule in Bengal, mostly as asylum seekers and economic migrants.
She said in all acts and laws on the CHT, including the Hill Tracts Act of 1900 and the Hill Districts Council Act of 1989, the CHT ethnic minorities have been identified as "Tribal" population.
Most significantly, in the CHT Peace Accord itself the CHT ethnic minorities have been categorised as "Tribal" and not "indigenous peoples.”
As per the census of 2001, the people of CHT account for less than 1.8 percent of the total population of Bangladesh.
Giving a special and elevated identity to enfranchise only 1.2 percent of the total population of 150 million by disentitling the 98.8persent cannot be in the national interest of Bangladesh, Dipu Moni said.
Reaction of the diplomats was not immediately known.
However, Chakma Raja Devasish Roy told The Daily Star, “The government probably is under the impression that recognising indigenous people might mean extra responsibility to bear.”
He went on, “The constitution does not say that there are no indigenous people in the country. It has not used the word indigenous, but it has not used the word minority either to identify anybody.”
Devasish Roy also referred to the small ethnic group cultural institutions act made in 2010 by the present government where the law itself stated in its definition part that small ethnic group would mean indigenous people.

Source:      http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=195963

Bangladesh does not have any indigenous population: Dipu Moni

Bangladesh does not have any indigenous population: Dipu Moni

11 April 2010


Courtesy BSS

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni today clarified the government position on ethnic minority groups in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and elsewhere of the country saying Bangladesh does not have any “indigenous population” as meant in
the UN jargon.

“Bangladesh rather has several ethnic minorities and tribal population living in all parts of Bangladesh, in harmony with the Bengalee population,” she said as outgoing UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Dhaka Renata Lok- Dessallien called on her.

Moni added that Bengalees are not “settlers in Bangladesh and that our situation could not be compared with those in some western countries”.

The foreign minister’s comments came as she appreciated the UNDP’s role particularly in the CHT region. Dessallien explained the UNDP activities in the rugged region taken in consultation with the appropriate government authorities.

The UNDP representative agreed with the foreign minister’s observations on the identity of the ethnic minority people and said the UN agencies would certainly follow the government position on this issue.

She also clarified that all development programmes in the CHT are targeted for all marginalised people, be them Bengalees or tribesmen.

Dessallien leaves here after an eventful four and half years tenure which witnessed crucial political transitions including the military-backed state of emergency and subsequent return of democratic rule.

The Foreign Minister thanked her for enhanced engagement of UNDP in Bangladesh’s development work during the past several years but expressed concern at the gradual erosion in the core funding of UNDP at the global level.

She also regretted non-fulfilment of ODA commitment by most of the development partners.

Referring to the recently held Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) in Dhaka, Moni called upon the UNDP and other development partners to come forward with necessary investment to implement the agreed recommendations.

She also expressed happiness at the change of format of BDF from a donor-driven process to now a forum of partnership between Bangladesh and its development partners.

They also discussed issues related to strengthening of relevant institutions which are critical for upholding the values
of democracy and accountability.

 

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=100076&date=2010-04-11

Please visit recommended related news on Indigenous issue:

Controversial (secret) letter recently issued by MoCHTA – protest letter to Prime Minister by PCJSS

To download MoCHTA’s secret circular on indigenous issue please click here:

To download MoCHTA’ secret circular please click here:

PCJSS’s protest letter (in English)

To download PCJSS’s letter (in Bengali) please click here (Bengali font will be required) :

Indigenous People Issues

Chakma has 'unbridled optimism' for Western's future

Chakma has 'unbridled optimism' for Western's future !!!!
By Heather Travis Friday, October 23, 2009 As The University of Western Ontario's 10th president, Amit Chakma encourages graduates to carve a place in the world and be adaptable to a changing environment and a broadening community. Chakma was officially installed during Western’s 294th convocation ceremony ...on Friday, Oct. 23. He spoke to more than 320 graduates from the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, faculties of Information and Media Studies and Social Science. The installation marks a significant milestone in the university’s history, but also in his family’s history as well. As a young boy from a tribe in the hills of South Eastern Bangladesh, neither Chakma, nor his parents dreamed he would be standing one day before an audience as university president. “The story of my family is one of many examples of the strength of the human spirit. It is in many ways the story of so many – past and present – who have come to Canada with dreams, ambitions and a determination to build better futures,” he says. “I assume Western’s presidency with boundless hope and unbridled optimism.” He was joined at the installation ceremony by his mother, two brothers and their families, as well as his wife, Meena, and sons, Justin and Hiroshi. Although his father died before Chakma completed his PhD, choking back tears, Chakma described how his father supported him and would share in the pride of his achievement. Standing on the shoulders of Western’s leaders of the past, Chakma is prepared to take the next step in its global aspirations, not only teaching future world leaders, but also bringing Western and its research capacities to the world. “I also recognize the gravity of the responsibility that accompanies being Western’s 10th president. The task of educating future citizens and leaders is a noble, but daunting task,” he adds. Part of the university experience is being exposed to a diversity of views and cultures and Western has a responsibility to be a driving force behind finding solutions for complex challenges facing society, he notes. Although there may be difficult times ahead, Chakma encourages the Western community to “set our aim high and have the courage to fall short.” Among his high aspirations, Chakma envisions Western “joining the ranks of the great universities in the world by 2050. “It will be a challenge and it will not be easy. But it can be done.” Graduates also play a role in Western’s progress. He told the audience to take lessons they learned in lecture halls and classrooms, as well as from each other, and make a difference in their communities and beyond. “Go out there, discover and change the world for the better. Come home to Western often and further enrich our community with your experiences,” he says. In her introductory speech, Michele Noble, chair of Western’s Board of Governors, says it was a unanimous choice of the Presidential Selection Committee to appoint Chakma as president. “Amit believes in achievement through community and partnerships, and finding opportunity in adversity. We in the Western community are truly fortunate to have him as our leader,” she says. As part of the ceremony, Chakma recited the Declaration of Office. He received greetings from visiting representatives of other Canadian universities and colleges, from municipal, provincial and federal governments, Western employee groups, Western’s Alumni Association, undergraduate and graduate students’ representatives, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the Council of Ontario Universities. Chakma holds degrees in Engineering from the Algerian Petroleum Institute and the University of British Columbia. He comes to Western from the University of Waterloo, where he served as Provost and Vice-President (Academic) from 2001 until June 30, 2009. Prior to this appointment, Chakma taught at the University of Calgary and was Dean of Engineering and Vice-President (Research) at the University of Regina. He is known as a leading authority in the field of petroleum and energy technology, and has taught specialized courses in Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand, and Japan. As part of the ceremony, the status of Librarian Emerita was conferred upon Mary Jameson and Enid McFadden.

Changma Jador Madhaa

Do u know abt, Dr. Amit Chakma????????
Dr. Amit Chakma is the 10th President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Western Ontario, succeeding Dr. Paul Davenport on July 1, 2009. Dr. Chakma arrived at Western after serving the University of Waterloo since 2001 as Vice-President, Academic & Provost, and as a professor in the Department of Chemical Engin...eering. Prior to that, he served as Dean of Engineering and then Vice-President (Research) and International Liaison Officer at the University of Regina. He began his academic career as a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Calgary. Dr. Chakma is a graduate of the Algerian Petroleum Institute (Dip. Ing., 1982) and the University of British Columbia (Master of Applied Science, 1984 and PhD, chemical engineering, 1987). The author of more than 100 articles, he is a leading expert in areas related to petroleum research and energy management. His research interests include mass transfer, gas separation, gas processing, membrane separation, petroleum waste management, greenhouse gas control technology, and energy and environmental systems modeling. In addition to his roles at Western, Dr. Chakma currently serves as a chair of the board of Health Force Ontario Marketing and Recruitment Agency. In 1998, Dr. Chakma was recognized with Canada‘s Top 40 Under 40 Award, given annually to honour Canada's best and brightest in their fields younger than 40. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. For Interseted abt more information,
So plz visit following Website: www.uwo.ca

Santu Larma for greater movement to establish ethnic people’s rights→

Staff Correspondent

Daily Sun(30-04-2011)

Jana Sanghati Samity president and Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council chairman Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma alias Santu Larma, recalling the demand made by MN Larma 40 years ago, urged all for taking preparation to wage greater movement to establish rights, recognition and honour of the 46 ethnic communities living in the country.

Santu Larma, also the chairman of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, alleged that the government is involved in conspiracy with the rights of three million ethnic people and will never ensure their rights.

“So, we have to continue our movement to force the government to fulfil the demands of the deprived indigenous people,” Santu Larma added.

The Jana Sanghati Samity president was addressing a public meeting at Central Shaheed Minar in the city on Friday.

Demanding constitutional recognition of the ethnic people, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum organised the meeting where politicians, educationists and rights activists expressed solidarity with their demand.

“MN Larma was refused by the then government 40 years ago for demanding rights of indigenous people. He was forced to go for movement that we continued. But, indigenous people are still being deprived in the country,” Santu Larma said.

The Regional Council chairman alleged that not only the CHT people, but also plain land ethnics facing a threat of survival.

“Due to the communal mentality of consecutive governments, ethnic people are being deprived in the country. Presently we are facing an identity crisis. We have to go for greater movement,” Santu Larma added.

Recalling the contributions of ethnic people in the War of Liberation, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim urged the government to recognise the ethnic groups in the upcoming constitutional amendment to ensure their equal rights.

Criticising the word ‘tribal,’ former adviser of the caretaker government

Sultana Kamal demanded full implementation of CHT agreement and proclamation of the government for their constitutional recognition.

Expressing solidarity with the demands of ethnic people, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Areefin Siddique urged the government to ensure education in their respective mother tongues.

Demanding removal of the CHT land commission chairman for his alleged misdeeds, Ganoforum presidium member Pankoj Bhattacharjee urged the rights activists to participate in the rational movements of ethnic people.

PCJSS organising secretary Saktipada Tripura said ethnic people of the country want their socio-political recognition in the constitutional amendment.

Prof Mesbah Kamal said ethnic people should given constitutional recognition to prove the country’s plurality in diversity. He also demanded conventional land rights and traditional social structure in local government for them.

Govt not sincere about CHT treaty: M.N Larma Santu

New Age

23/04/2011 00:20:00

Our Correspondent . Rangamati

The Awami League has not taken any step in its 28-month rule to implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Treaty, Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, who signed the deal with the government on behalf of the hill peoples in 1997, said on Friday.

Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma, who is the president of Partbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, made the allegation in the 11th central council session of Parbatya Chattagram Mahila Samity held in Rangamati outer stadium.

He said the love and responsibility the prime minister had shown for the hill people 13 years ago seemed to have become thinned as she was not keeping her words at the pressure from certain quarters.

Larma said the hill people would become extinct if the orchestrated attacks on them continued and cited the recent deadly attacks on hill people at Baghaighat, Langadu, and Ramgarh as examples of the process of elimination. He also branded the United People’s Democratic Front a terrorist outfit and demanded that it should be banned.

Santu Larma also criticised state minister for CHT affairs Dipangkar Talukder for not keeping his words. ‘Neither the Awami League nor Dipankar is interested in implementing the CHT treaty. He has not taken any step so far in this regard.’

Santu said the hill people who became leaders of the mainstream political parties like Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party were in politics to serve their own interests, not the interests of the hill people.

JSS leader Mangal Kumar Chakma, social activist Nilima Chakma, MN Larma Foundation convener Bijoy Ketan Chakma, Pahari Chhatra Parishad president Bablu Chakma, and Hill Women Federation leader Jonaki Chakma also spoke in the programme chaired by Jyoti Prova Chakma.

King of the classroom

King of the classroom

By Kristi Maroc

1 July 2010

ShareThis

University of Sydney students were honoured to receive a lecture from His Royal Highness Raja Devashish Roy, the traditional Raja, King of the Chakma people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The students of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies welcomed the opportunity to hear from the King, who is trained as a barrister, human rights and indigenous rights advocate and an advocate for sustainable environment and biodiversity.

Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Dr Lynda Blanchard and Associate Professor Jake Lynch from the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies with His Royal Highness Raja Devashish Roy (second from left)

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is a region of south-east Bangladesh which stretches across approximately 13,000km² and borders India and Myanmar (Burma). It has an estimated population of 1.3 million according to UNICEF, around half of which is made up of indigenous people from many different tribal communities. The indigenous people of CHT have had a long history of conflict with the Bangladeshi military as they have sought to protect their land and communities from occupation and forced displacement. The Bangladeshi army has been accused of many human rights violations within the CHT.
In 1997, following 26 years of violent conflict, a Peace Accord was signed which promised the withdrawal of military, rehabilitation of displaced indigenous people, and resolution of land disputes in the region. Raja Roy acted as a facilitator during formal talks that led to the signing of the CHT Accord between the indigenous people and the Bangladesh military.

His Royal Highness Raja Devashish Roy with Associate Professor Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies

According to the indigenous people however, the implementation of the Accord provisions has not been acted upon since the agreement. The CHT Commission has been lobbying the current Bangladeshi government to take action and fully implement the Accord, a promise which was made during their 2008 election campaign. The Awami League government of Bangladesh was elected in late-December 2008, and promised a full implementation of the Accord. However, some of the worst violence of recent years has taken place in 2010.
Raja Roy's address focused on 'The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Process: Lessons for Peace Building and Accord Implementation'. During the visit Raja Roy also held a meeting with Director of the Centre for Peace Studies, Associate Professor Jake Lynch.
During his time in Australia, Raja Roy has visited Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney to meet with aid representatives, government officials and deliver talks at the University of Melbourne, UNSW and the University of Sydney.

Contact: Kristi Maroc
Phone: 02 9351 7009
Email: kristi.maroc@sydney.edu.au

2010/3/21: Signatures Calling for Full Implementation of the CHT Peace Accord Submitted to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina !!!

News on "Global Voices for Peace in the CHT"

(Photo: Mr. Naoto Sakaguchi, House of Representatives, Democratic Party of Japan and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister's official residence on 21 March 2010)

During the campaign, messages gathered from around the world, information on events to add momentum to the campaign, and reports on its progress will be delivered by e-mail (in English and Japanese). To receive the e-mail updates, please check the appropriate box in the sign-up form.

2010/3/21: Signatures Calling for Full Implementation of the CHT Peace Accord Submitted to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina !

Report: Tom Eskildsen, Vice-Chairperson, Jumma Net (Japan)
Hasina-Sakaguchi
At 7-8P.M. on Sunday, 21st March 2010, Japanese Members of Parliament Mr. Naoto Sakaguchi and Ms. Mieko Tanaka (House of Representatives, Democratic Party of Japan) handed an appeal for full implementation of the CHT Peace Accord with 35,757 signatures to Honorable Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, bringing to conclusion the “Global Voices for Peace in the CHT” campaign that had been underway since last August. The MPs and Japanese Ambassador Tamotsu Shinotsuka engaged in an active discussion with the Prime Minister for an hour.
“This is our issue. Nobody wants to promote peace in the hill tracts more than I do!”

Prime Minister Hasina’s passionate words struck a cord with the MPs, who went on to discuss with her about how Japan could help peace building and economic revitalization in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The MPs said they would encourage Japanese companies to invest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and promised to remain engaged.

“Handing in the signatures is not the goal, but a new starting point” commented MP Sakaguchi after the meeting. MPs Sakaguchi and Tanaka worked tirelessly to visit other MPs’ offices until immediately prior to their departure, succeeding in collecting as many as 60 signatures from fellow members of parliament. They will most certainly serve as a bridge between Japan and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in parliamentary committees, the Japan parliamentary group on Bangladesh, and through other means. Gaining such strong allies in parliament was an unexpected achievement of the signature campaign.

The appointment with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina could not be finalized until the last minute, so the Japanese Embassy’s role of making arrangements for the MPs was critical indeed. When the MPs arrived in Dhaka on Saturday, 20th March, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was still in Yunnan Province, China. We were told that there was less than 50% chance of being able to meet her. Even as the MPs were visiting a project for street children, a handicraft center and schools for indigenous children, the embassy staff was on the phone negotiating with the Prime Minister's office. Their efforts were rewarded when Prime Minister Hasina kindly agreed to meet the MPs a few hours after her return on the afternoon of Sunday, 21st March.
Arriving a couple of days earlier, I went to the office of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum on the 18th to gather and count the signatures with the help of Jumma activists. I phoned the Hill Students Council, Hill Women’s Federation, Headman Association and other local organizations and asked them to bring their signatures. Piled up in a stack, they formed a mountain of paper more than two feet high and fifty pounds in weight. Signatures from overseas were sorted by country and found to have come from as many as 105 nations. A craftsman bound the papers in book format so they looked like a stack of encyclopedias.
I stuffed the signature books in a jute bag, hauled them by three-wheeler to the Banaful Indigenous Green Heart College, and waited for the arrival of the MPs and Embassy staff. On a searing, sultry afternoon, Mr. Sakaguchi arrived dressed to the hilt in a formal suit, and Ms. Tanaka blending with the crowd in a colorful Chakma “pinon and khadi” dress. They did the rounds of the classrooms, conversing cheerfully with the children.

After a welcome ceremony, we drove over to Sonargaon Hotel to meet up with Ambassador Shinozuka, and headed to the Prime Minister’s official residence. Unfortunately, I was taken to another room and not allowed to meet the Prime Minister, but it was possible to get an assistant to the Prime Minister to sign a form acknowledging receipt of the signatures. The meeting with the Prime Minister was reported in the TV news, bdnews24.com, and the local papers Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
The signature campaign collected 35.757 signatures and 2754 messages from citizens in 105 countries and 12 autonomous regions, including 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, 62 Members of Parliament of Japan, 4 Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies of Australia, 1 Member of Constituent Assembly of Nepal, and leaders of civil society in Bangladesh and around the world. The campaign was co-sponsored by the CHT Jumma Peoples Network of the Asia Pacific (Australia), the Indigenous Jumma People's Network USA, Jumma Net (Japan), and the Organizing Committee Chittagong Hill Tracts Campaign (Holland), with the endorsement of 55 organizations worldwide. It was probably the largest signature campaign ever regarding the Chittagong Hill Tracts issue. At a time when the accord faces severe obstacles, including a legal challenge to its constitutionality, protests against withdrawal of military camps, and continued land grabbing and communal violence most starkly evident in the tragic 19-23 February 2010 Baghaihat/Khagrachari arson incidents which left hundreds of families homeless, we think it is of no small significance that so many messages of support could be delivered to Prime Minister Hasina from Japan, Bangladesh’s leading bilateral donor, and from around the world. It is our fervent wish that these global voices will create an atmosphere conducive to unity among the Jumma peoples and help to break through bottlenecks in the peace process.

(See the detail : Press Release: 100321JNpressrelease4e (PDF148KB))

We would like to express our heart-felt gratitude to MPs Sakaguchi and Tanaka who traveled all the way to Bangladesh, to Ambassador Shinotsuka, First Secretary Yoshida, Second Secretary Komine and other staff at the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka who coordinated the MPs’ travels and meeting with the Prime Minister, to our colleagues of the co-sponsor organizations overseas who helped to make this a truly international campaign through debate across multiple time zones with countless e-mails, to the endorsing organizations that helped to spread the word about the campaign through their websites, list-serves, newsletters, etc., to the many volunteers who tirelessly collected signatures, to the Jumma Net secretariat for overall coordination, and to everyone who kindly contributed to this endeavor.

Press Release: pdf100321JNpressrelease4e (PDF148KB)

（Photo：Mr. Naoto Sakaguchi with an appeal letter for PM Sheikh Hasina）

News Link:

TV News
The Daily Star：(English)
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=131041

bdnews24.com：(English)http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=156389&cid=2

Prothom Alo：(Bengali)
http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2010-03-23/news/51050

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord of 1997...................

Chittagong Hill Tracts:
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bengali: পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম Parbotto Chôṭṭogram) comprise an area of 13,180 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar (Burma). It was a single district of Bangladesh till 1984. In that year it was divided into three separate districts: Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban. Topographically, this is the only hill intensive area of Bangladesh.

Demography:
According to the 1991 census the population was 974,447 of which 501,114 were tribals and the rest were from different communities. The indigenous peoples, collectively known as the Jumma, include the Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Tenchungya, Chak, Pankho, Mru, Murung, Bawm, Lushai, Khyang, Gurkha,Assam,Santal and Khumi.[1]
The current population is between 1 million and 1.5 million.[citation needed] About 50% of the population are tribals and mainly followers of Theravada Buddhism. 48% of the inhabitants are Bengali Muslim settlers. The remainder are followers of Hinduism, Christianity and Animism. [1]. At the time of the partition of India in August, 1947 non MusIims constituted 98.5% of the population of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Buddhists were 85%, Hindus (mainly Tripuri tribe) 10%, Animists 3% and Muslims 1.5%

History:
The early history of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is a record of constantly recurring raids on the part of the eastern hill tribes, and of the operations undertaken to repress them. The earliest mention of these raids is to be found in a letter from the Chief of Chittagong to Warren Hastings, the Governor-General, dated April to, 1777,' complaining of the violence and aggressions of a mountaineer named Ramu Khan, the leader of a band of Kukis or Lushais ; and that they continued without any long intermission down to 1891 when the Lushai Hills were annexed to British territory. The recorded population increased from 69,607 in 1872 to 101,597 in 1881, to 107,286 in 1891, and to 124,762 in 1901. The Census of 1872 was, however, very imperfect, and the actual growth of population has probably not exceeded what might be expected in a sparsely inhabited but fairly healthy tract.[2]
When the 1901 census was taken there were no towns, and 211 of the villages had a population of less than 500, while only one exceeded 2,000. The population density, excluding the area of uninhabited forest (1,385 square miles), was 33 persons per square mile. There was a little immigration from Chittagong, and a few persons had emigrated to Tripura. The proportion of females to every 100 males was only 90 in the district-born, and 83 in the total population. Buddhists numbered 83,000, Hindus 36,000, and Muslims 5,000.[3]
The Chittagong Hill Tracts, combining three hilly districts of Bangladesh, were once known as Korpos Mohol, the name used until 1860. In 1860 it was annexed by the British and was made an administrative district of Bengal. As of today, it is a semi-autonomous region within Bangladesh comprising the districts, namely, Chengmi (Khagrachari District), Gongkabor (Rangamati District), and Arvumi (Bandarban District).
The last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, who considered the grant of independence to India as his act of crowning glory, was ambitious to achieve this "superhuman" task in record time. He said that before accepting the post of Viceroy he had told King George VI, who was his cousin: "I am prepared to accept the job only on one condition. India must be granted independence by July, 1948 and I will not stay there a day longer". Mountbatten came to India in March, 1947 and this left him just about sixteen months to complete such a gigantic task. In reality, he achieved it in five months, on 15th of August, 1947 for which he was given so much credit.
The Radcliffe Commission submitted its Report on 9 August 1947. At the Staff Meeting on 12 August V.P. Menon, who was a confidant of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, reacted most violently when it came to be known that the Chittagong Hill Tracts was going to be given to Pakistan. The following day, on 13 August, the All India Congress Committee issued a declaration alleging that the award "lacked all sense of justice, equity and propriety" and, therefore, it was "ineffective, infurctuous and incapable of execution in international consciousness". Sardar Patel wrote an angry letter to Mountbatten expressing his indignation, calling the Radcliffe award "monstrous and a blatant breach of the terms of reference". He warned that "I am urging the tribesmen to resist amalgamation with Pakistan by force, if necessary".
Originally, the award of the Boundary Commission was to be made public on 13 August. But Mountbatten was reluctant to spill the beans. According to Philip Ziegler, the author of Mountbatten's official biography, the case of the Chittagong Hill Tracts was uppermost in Mountbatten's mind. "He (Mountbatten) foresaw an Independence Day marred by rancour, Nehru boycotting the ceremonies, India born in an atmosphere not of euphoria but of angry resentment. So Mountbatten decided to announce the award only on 16 August when the celebrations were over. As Zeigler writes, "India's indignation at the award of the Chittagong Hill Tracts to Pakistan may have been a factor in making up Mountbatten's mind to keep the reports to himself till after independence".
Mountbatten was himself surprised by the ferocity of Sardar Patel's reaction to the issue. In his memoirs he wrote: "The one man I had regarded as a real statesman with both his feet firmly on the ground, and a man of honour whose word was his bond, had turned out to be as hysterical as the rest. Candidly I was amazed that such a terrific crisis should have blown up over so small a matter. However, I have been long enough in India to realise that major crises are by no means confined to big matters." Leonard Mosley in his book The Last Days of the British Raj puts it "This is a matter for Mountbatten's conscience.
Mr Jaipal Singh, who was member of the Sub-Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India dealing with the Excluded Areas, recorded a minute of dissent in which he wrote: "The Chittagong Hill Tracts must be claimed back to India". Soon afterwards, in a public speech in Calcutta, Nehru himself said that gross injustice had been done in regard to the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He also declared that the matter would be taken up with Pakistan. But nothing was done.
During the 1970s and 80s, there were attempts by the Government to resettle the area with Bengali people. These attempts were resisted by the tribals, who, with the latent support of neighbouring India, formed a guerilla force called Shanti Bahini. As a result of the tribal resistance movement, successive governments turned the Hill Tracts into a militarised zone. Professor Bernard Nietschmann wrote a letter about Shanti Bahini and the Chittagong Hill Tracts people to the editor of the New York Times by published on October 25, 1986 (archived by the Fourth World Documentation Project) at the Center for World Indigenous Studies website.
The Bangladesh military and settlers have been accused of committing genocides against the minority tribal people with silent support from the law enforcers.[citation needed] One often citied incident took place in 1992 in Mallya[4] and / or Logang[5]. The Bangladeshi army, too, have been accused of numerous human rights violations within the Hill Tracts, and their personnel have been accused of torture, killings and abduction[citation needed]. Amongst these, the disappearance of Chakma political activist Kalpana Chakma in 1996 attracted widespread condemnation[citation needed].
Following years of unrest, an agreement was formed between the Government of Bangladesh and the tribal leaders which granted a limited level of autonomy to the elected council of the three hill districts.
The 1997 Peace Treaty signed between the then Sheikh Hasina Government and the Jana Shanghati Shamiti or Shanti Bahini has been opposed by the opposition parties as well as a fraction of the tribal rebels[citation needed]. Opposition parties of the time argued the autonomy granted in the treaty ignored the Bengali settlers. The successive Khaleda Zia government promised to implement the peace treaty, despite their opposition to it during the previous government's term. According to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, a Peace Treaty between Government of Bangladesh and Parbattya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti was signed on 2 December 1997.


The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord of 1997!!!


Under the framework of the Constitution of Bangladesh and keeping full and firm confidence in the sovereignty and integrity of Bangladesh, to uphold the political, social, cultural, educational and economic rights of all the people of Chittagong Hill Tracts region and to expedite socio-economic development process and to preserve and respect the rights of all the citizens of Bangladesh and their development, the National Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts, on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, on behalf of the inhabitants of Chittagong Hill Tracts, have reached the following agreement in four parts (A, B, C, D):

A) (Ka) GENERAL

1. Both the sides have recognised the need for protecting the characteristics and attaining overall development of the region considering Chittagong Hill Tracts as a tribal inhabited region.

2. Both the parties have decided to formulate, change, amend and incorporate concerned acts, rules and regulations as soon as possible according to the consensus and responsibility expressed in different sections of the agreement.

3. An Implementation Committee shall be formed to monitor the implementation process of the agreement with the following members:
a)  A member nominated by the Prime Minister:        Convenor
b)  Chairman of the Task Force formed under the purview of the agreement: Member
c)  President of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti:           Member

4. The agreement shall come into effect from the date of the signing and execution by both the sides. This agreement shall remain valid from the date of its effect until all the steps are executed as per the agreement.


B) (Kha) CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL/ HILL DISTRICT COUNCIL

Both sides have reached agreement with regard to changing, amending, incorporating and omitting the Hill District Local Government Council Acts 1989 (Rangamati Hill District Local Government Council Act 1989, Bandarban Hill District Local Government Council Act 1989, Khagrachhari Hill District Local Government Council Act 1989) and its different sections which were in existence before this agreement came into being, as below:

1. The word “tribal” used in different sections of the Council Acts shall stay.

2. The name “Hill District Local Government Council” shall be amended and the name of council shall be “Hill District Council.”

3. “Non-tribal permanent residents” shall mean a person who is not a tribal but has legal land in the hill district and generally lives in the hill district at a specific address.

4. a) There shall be 3 (three) seats for women in each of the Hill District Councils. One third (1/3) of these seats shall be for non-tribals.

b) Sub-sections 1,2,3 and 4 of section 4 shall remain in force as per the original act.

c) The words “deputy commissioner” and “deputy commissioner’s” in the second line of sub-section (5) of section 5 shall be replaced by “circle chief” and “circle chief’s”.

d) Following sub-section shall be added in section 4:
Whether a person is a non-tribal shall be determined, along with the identity of non-tribal community to which he belongs, by the concerned Circle Chief on the provision of submission of certificate from concerned Headman/Pourasabha chairman/Union Parishad chairman and no person can be a candidate for the office of the non-tribal member without a certificate from the concerned Circle Chief in this regard.

5. It is narrated in section 7 that a person elected chairman or member shall make an oath or announcement before the Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong. By amendment of it there shall be incorporated that the members shall make oath or announcement before “ a Justice of High Court Division” instead of “Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong”.

6. The words “to Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong” will be replaced by “as per election rules” in the fourth line of section 8.

7. The words “three years” shall be replaced by “five years” in the second line of section 10.

8. There shall be a provision in section 14 that if the office of the Chairman falls vacant or in absence of the Chairman, a tribal member elected by other members of the Council shall preside and perform other responsibilities.

9. The existing section 17 shall be replaced with the sentences as mentioned below:
A person shall, under the law, be eligible to be enrolled in the electoral roll, if
(1) he is a citizen of Bangladesh;
(2) he age is not less than 18 years;
(3) he is not declared mentally unsound by any competent court;
(4) he is a permanent resident of Hill District.

10. The words “determination of electoral constituency” shall be added in the sub-section (2) of section 20.

11. There shall be a provision in sub-section (2) of section 25 stating that the chairman and in his absence a tribal member elected by other members shall preside over all the meetings of the council.

12. As the entire region of Khagrachhari district is not included in the Maung circle, the words “Khagrachhari Maung Chief” in section number 26 of Khagrachhari Hill District Council Act shall be replaced by the words “Maung Circle Chief and Chakma Circle Chief.” Similarly, there shall be scope for the presence of Bomang Chief in the meeting of Rangamati Hill District Council. In the same way, there shall be provision that the Bomang Circle Chief can attend the meetings of Bandarban Hill District Council meetings if he wishes or is invited to join.

13. In sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 31 there shall be a provision that a chief executive officer equivalent to the status of a deputy secretary shall be the secretary in the Council and there shall be provision that the tribal officials would be given priority for this post.

14. a) There shall be a provision in sub-section (1) of section 32 that for the proper conduct of its affairs the Council may, with the approval of the government, create posts of various categories of officers and employees.

b) Sub-section (2) of section 32 shall, by amendment, be made as follows:
The Council can, in accordance with regulations, appoint class three and class four employees, and can transfer, suspend, dismiss, remove or can impose any other punitive action on them. But provided that the priority of the tribal inhabitants must be maintained in case of the said appintments.

c) There shall be provision in the sub-section (3) of section 32 stating that:
The government can, in consultation with the Council, appoint other officers as per regulation and can transfer, suspend, dismiss, remove or can impose any other punitive action on them.

15. In sub-section (3) of section 33 “as per regulation” shall be mentioned.

16. The words “or any other way determined by the government” placed in the third line sub-section (1) of section 36 shall be omitted.

17. a) The original law shall be in force in the fourth paragraph of sub-section (1) of section 37.

b) “As per rules” will be included in Sub-section (2), sub-sub-section (d), of section 37.


18. Sub-section (3) of section 38 shall be repealed and by amendment, the sub-section
(4) shall be framed as follows:
At any time before the expiry of the financial year, if deemed necessary, budget may be formulated and sanctioned.

19. In section 42 the following sub-section shall be added:
The Council with the fund received from the government shall formulate, initiate and implement development projects on the subjects transferred and all the development works initiated at the national level shall be implemented by the concerned ministry/department through the Council.

20. The word “government” placed in the second line of sub-section (2) of section 45 shall the replaced with the word “Council”

21. By repealing the sections 50, 51 and 52, the following section shall be made:
The government, if deemed necessary, may advice or order the Council, in order to ensure conformity with the purpose of this Act. If the government is satisfied with definite proof that anything done or intended to be done by the Council, or on behalf of the Council, is not in conformity with law, or contrary to public interest, the government may seek information and clarification and give advice or instruction to the Council on the concerned matters in writing.

22. In sub-section (3) of section 53, the words “if the period of super session is completed” shall be repealed and “within ninety days of super session” shall be incorporated before the words “this Act”.

23. The words “of the government” in the third and fourth lines of section 61 shall be replaced with the words “of the ministry”

24. a) By amendment, sub-section (1) of section 62 shall be made as follows:
Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act for the time being in force, all members of the rank of Sub-Inspector and below of Hill District Police shall be appointed by the Council in manner laid down by regulations, and the Council may transfer and take disciplinary action against them as per procedure laid down by regulations; provided that in the manner of such appointment tribals shall be given priority.

b) The words “subject to the provision of all other laws for the time being in force” placed in the second line of sub-section (3) of section 62 shall be repealed and substituted by the words “as per rules and regulation”.

25. The words “providing assistance” will remain in third line in section 63.

26. Section 64 shall be amended as follows:

a) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, no land, including those land suitable for giving settlement, within the boundaries of Hill District shall be given in settlement including giving lease, purchased, sold and transferred without prior approval of the Council; provided that this provision shall not be applicable in case of areas within the reserved forests, Kaptai Hydroelectricity Project, Bethbunia Earth Satellite Station, State-owned industries and factories and lands recorded in the name of government.

b) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the being in force, no lands, hills and forests within the control and jurisdiction of the Hill District Council shall be acquired or transferred by the government without consultation and consent of the Hill District Council.

c) The council can supervise and control functions of Headman, Chainman, Amin, Surveyor, Kanungo and Assistant Commissioner (land).

d) Fringe land in Kaptai Lake shall be given settlement on priority basis to original owners.

27. Section 65 shall be amended as follows:
Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law of for the time being in force, responsibility of collecting land development tax shall be entrusted in the Council and the said tax collected in the District shall remain in the account of the Council.

28. By amendment of section 67 it shall be made as follows:
If deemed necessary for coordination of activities between the Council and government authorities, government or the Council shall put specific proposal on certain matter(s) and functions may be coordinated by mutual correspondence between the Council and the government.

29. By amendment of sub-section (1) it shall be made as follows:
The government in consultation with the Council can, by notification in the official gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act and even after the rules had been made, the Council shall have special right to file petition for reconsideration of the rules.

30. a) In the first and second paragraphs of sub-section (1) of Section 69, the words “prior approval of the government” shall be omitted and the following part shall be added after the words “can do” in the third Para:
“Provided that if the government differs with any part of the regulation made by the Hill District Council then the government can give advice or instruction for amendment of the said regulation”.

b) The words “transfer of power of Chairman to any officer” mentioned in the (h) of sub-section (2) of section 69 shall be omitted.

31. Section 70 shall be omitted.

32. Section 79 shall be amended as follows:
If in the opinion of the Council any law applicable to Hill District, passed by the national parliament or any other authority, is found to be hurtful to the district or objectionable to the tribal people, the Council may file petition in writing, for the purpose of amendment or relaxation of its application, to the government stating the reasons for which the law is being hurtful or objectionable and the government shall in the light of the petition, adopt necessary remedial measures.

33. a) The word “supervision” shall be added after the word “order” in the No. 1 of the functions of the Council in the First Schedule.

b) The following subjects shall be added in the No. 3 of the functions of the Council:
Vocational training;
Primary education in mother tongue;
Secondary education.

c) The words “or reserved” placed in sub-section 6(b) of the function of the Council in the First Schedule shall be omitted.

34. The following subjects shall be added in the functions and responsibilities of the Hill District Council:
a)      Land and land management
b)      Police (local)
c)      Tribal law and social justice
d)      Youth Welfare
e)      Environment preservation and development
f)        Local tourism
g)      Improvement trust and other local government institutions except Pourasabha and Union Councils
h)      Licensing for local trade and business
i)        Proper utilization of water resources of rivulets, canals, ponds and irrigation except Kaptai lake
j)        Preservation of death and birth and other statistics
k)      Money lending and trade
l)        Jhum Cultivation.


35. The following sectors and sources shall be included in the taxes, rates, tolls and fees to be imposed by the Council as stated in the second schedule:
a) Registration fee from non-mechanical transports
b) Tax on sale and purchase of goods
c) Holding tax from land and buildings
d) Tax on sale of domestic animals
e) Fees from cases of social justice
f) Holding tax on government and non-government industries
g) Part of royalty from forest resources
h) Supplementary tax from cinema, theatre and circus, etc.
i) Part of royalty from license or lease given by the government for exploration and extraction of mineral resources
j) Tax from business
k) Tax from lottery
l) Tax from fishing

 C) (Ga) THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS REGIONAL COUNCIL

1. A Regional Council shall be formed in coordination with the 3 Hill District Local Government Councils provided that various sections of the Hill District Local Government Council Act 1989 (Act No. 19,20 and 21 of 1989) shall be amended with an aim to make the three Hill District Local Government Councils more powerful and effective.

2. Chairman of this Council shall be elected indirectly by the elected members of the Hill District Councils, his status shall be equivalent to that of a State Minister and he must be a tribal.

3. The Council shall be formed with 22(twenty-two) members including the Chairman. Two-thirds of the members shall be elected from among the tribals. The Council shall determine its procedure of functioning.

Composition of the Council shall be as follows:

Chairman
1
Members Tribal
12
Members Tribal (women)
2
Members non-tribal
6
Members non-tribal(women)
1

Among the tribal members 5 persons shall be elected from the Chakma tribe, 3 persons from the Marma tribe, 2 persons from the Tripura tribe, 1 person from the Murung and Tanchangya tribes and 1 person from the Lusai, Bawm, Pankho, Khumi, Chak and Khiyang tribes

Among the non-tribal members 2 persons shall be elected from each district. Among the tribal women members 1 woman shall be elected from the Chakma tribe and 1 woman from other tribes.

4. Three seats shall be reserved for women in the Council, one-third of which will be non-tribal.

5. The members of the Council shall be elected indirectly by the elected members of the Hill District Councils. Chairman of three Hill District Councils shall be ex-officio members of the Council and they shall have voting rights.

Eligibility and non-eligibility of the members of the Council shall be similar to that of the Hill District Councils.

6. The tenure of the council shall be five years. Budget preparation and its approval, dissolution of council, formulation of council’s regulation, appointment of and control over officers and employees and matters related to concerned subjects and procedures shall be similar to the subjects and procedures given in favour of and applicable for the Hill District Council.

7. A chief executive officer equivalent to the rank of a Joint Secretary of the government shall be appointed in the council and tribal candidates would be given priority in the appointment for the post.

8. a) If the office of the Chairman of the Councils falls vacant then a member from among the tribal members would be indirectly elected as Chairman by the members of Hill District Councils for an interim period.

b) If any office of a member of the Council falls vacant for any reason then that shall be filled through by-election.

9. a) The Council, including coordination of all development activities conducted under the three Hill District Councils, shall supervise and coordinate the subjects vested upon the Hill District Councils. Besides these, if any lack of coordination and inconsistency is found among the Hill District Councils in discharging their responsibilities the decision of the Regional Council shall be taken as final.

b) The Council shall supervise and coordinate local councils including the municipalities.

c) Regional Council can coordinate and supervise in the matters of general administration, law and order and development of the three Hill Districts.

d) The Council can conduct programmes related to disaster management and relief, and also coordinate the activities of the NGOs.

e) Tribal laws and social justice shall be under the jurisdiction of the Council.

f) The Council can issue license for heavy industry.

10. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board shall discharge its responsibilities under general and overall supervision of the Council. In case of appointment of Chairman of the Development Board, the government shall give priority to competent tribal candidates.

11. If the Regional Council finds any rule of the 1900 CHT Regulations and other related laws, rules and ordinances as contradictory to the 1989 Hill District Council Acts, then the government shall remove that inconsistency in law according to recommendation of and in consultation with the Regional Council.

12. Until Regional Council is constituted through direct and indirect election the government may, by constituting an interim Regional Council, entrust the responsibilities of the Council on it.

13. If the government wants to formulate any law regarding CHT, it shall do so in consultation with and according to the recommendation of the Regional Council. If there arises the necessity to amend any law that may be harmful for development of the three Hill Districts or for the welfare of the tribals, or to make any new law, the Councils may file a petition or put recommendation before the government.

14. The fund of the Council shall be created from the following sources:
a)      Fund received from the Hill District Councils’ fund;
b)      Money or profits from all properties vested in and managed by the Regional Council;
c)      Grant and loan from the government or any other authority;
d)      Grant from any institution or individual;
e)      Profit accruing from investment by Regional Council;
f)        Any other moneys received by the Regional Council;
g)      Money received from such sources of incomes as the government may direct to be placed at the disposal of the Regional Council.




D) (Gha) REHABILITATION, GENERAL AMNESTY AND OTHER MATTERS

Both sides have reached the following position and agreement to take programmes for restoring normal situation in Chittagong Hill Tracts area and to this end on the matters of rehabilitation, general amnesty and others related issues and activities:

1. An agreement has been signed between the government and he refugee leaders on March 9, 1997 with an aim to take back the tribal refugees from India’s Tripura State based on the 20-point Facilities Package. In accordance with the said agreement repatriation of the refugees started since March 28, 1997. This process shall continue and with this in view, the Jana Sanghati Samiti shall provide all kinds of possible cooperation. The Task Force shall, after determination, rehabilitate the internally displaced tribal people of three districts.

2. After signing and implementation of the agreement between the government and the Jana Sanghati Samiti, and after rehabilitation of the tribal refugees and internally displaced tribal people, the government, in consultation with the Regional Council to be formed as per this agreement, shall start cadastral survey in CHT as soon as possible and after finalization of land ownership of tribal people by settlement of land dispute through proper verification, shall record their land and ensure their land rights.

3. The government, to ensure the land rights of the tribal families which are landless or possess less than 2 acres of land, shall provide two acres of land to each such family, provided that lands are available in the locality. If requisite lands are not available then grove land shall be provided.

4. A commission (Land Commission) headed by a retired justice shall be formed for settling land disputes. This commission, in addition to settling disputes of lands of the rehabilitated tribal refugees, shall have full power for cancellation of ownership of those lands and hills which have been so far illegally settled and occupied. No appeal can be made against the judgement of this commission and decision of this commission shall be final. This shall also be applicable in case of fringe land.

5. This commission shall be set up with the following members:
Retired justice;
Circle chief (concerned);
Chairman of Regional Council/representative;
Divisional Commissioner/Additional Commissioner
Hill District Council Chairman (concerned)

6. a) The term of the commission shall be three years. But its term can be extended in consultation with the Regional Council.

b) The Commission shall settle disputes according to the existing rules, customs and practices of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

7. The tribal refugees who received loans from the government but could not utilize them properly due to conflicting situation shall be exempted from repayment of loans and interests.

8. Allotment of lands for rubber plantation and other purposes: Settlement of land, of those non-tribals and non-locals who were given settlement of lands for rubber plantation and other purposes but had not undertake project within the past 10 years or had not utilized their lands properly, shall be cancelled.

9. The government shall allot additional funds on priority basis for implementation of increased number of projects in CHT. New projects formulated with an aim to make necessary infrastructures for facilitating development in the area shall be implemented on priority basis and the government shall provide funds for these purposes. The government shall, considering the state of environment in the region, encourage developing tourism for tourists from within the country and abroad.

10. Quota reservation and scholarships: Until development equals that of other regions of the country the government shall continue reservation of quota system in government services and educational institutions for the tribals. For this purpose, the government shall grant more scholarships for the tribal students in the educational institutions. The government shall provide necessary scholarships for research works and higher education abroad.

11. The government and the elected representatives shall be active to preserve the distinctiveness of the tribal culture and heritage. The government in order to develop the tribal cultural activities at the national level shall provide necessary patronization and assistance.

12. The Jana Samhati Samiti shall submit to the government the lists of all its members including the armed ones and the arms and ammunition under its possession and control within 45 days of signing this agreement.

13. The government and the Jana Samhati Samiti shall jointly determine the date and place for depositing arms within the 45 days of signing this agreement. After determination of date and place for depositing arms by the members included in the list of the Jana Samhati Samiti the government shall ensure security for return of JSS members and their family members to normal life.

14. The government shall declare amnesty for the members who shall deposit their arms and ammunition on the scheduled date. The government shall withdraw the cases against whom cases have been lodged.

15. If anyone fails to deposit arms on the scheduled date the government shall take lawful measures against him.

16. After the return of all JSS members to normal life general amnesty shall be given to them and to the permanent residents who were involved in the activities of the Jana Sanghati Samiti.

a) In order to provide rehabilitation to all returnee JSS members a lump sum of Taka 50,000/- shall be given to each family.

b) All cases, warrants of arrest, held against any armed member or general member of the Jana Sanghati Samiti shall be withdrawn and punishment given after trial in absentia shall be exempted after surrender of arms and coming back to normal life as soon as possible. Any member of the Jana Sanghati Samiti in jail shall be released.

c) Similarly, after surrendering arms and coming back to normal life, no case can be filed or no punishment can be given to any person for merely being a member of the Jana Sanghati Samiti.

d) The loans obtained by the members of the Jana Sanghati Samity from different government banks or other agencies but could not be utilised owing to conflicting situation would be exempted with interest.

e) Those members of the PCJSS who were employed in various government jobs shall be absorbed in their respective posts and the eligible members of their family shall be given jobs as per their qualifications. In such cases, the government principles regarding relaxation of age would be followed.

f) Bank loans of soft terms shall be given to the members of the PCJSS for cottage industry and horticulture and other such self-employment generating activities.

g) Educational facilities shall be provided for the children of the Jana Sanghati Samity members and the certificates obtained from foreign board and educational institutions shall be considered as valid.

17. a) After signing of the agreement between the government and the Jana Sanghati Samiti and immediately after the return of the JSS members to normal life, all the temporary camps of military, Ansar and Village Defence Party shall be taken back to permanent installations except the border security force (BDR) and permanent cantonments (three at the three District Headquarters and Alikadam, Ruma and Dighinala) by phases and with this in view, the time limit shall be determined. In case of deterioration of the law and order situation, natural calamity and such other works the army can be deployed under the civil administration like all other parts of the country as per relevant laws and rules. In this case, the Regional Council may, according to the necessity or time, request the proper authority for the purpose of getting assistance.

b) The lands of camps and cantonments to be abandoned by military or para-military forces shall be either returned to the original owners or to the Hill District Councils.

18. The permanent residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts with priority to the tribals shall be given appointment to all categories of officers and employees of all government, semi-government, councils and autonomous bodies of Chittagong Hill Tracts. In case of non-availability of eligible persons from among the permanent residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts for a particular post, the government may give appointment on lien or for a definite period to such posts.

19. A ministry on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs shall be established by appointing a Minister from among the tribals. An Advisory Council shall be formed to assist this ministry with the persons stated below:
a)         Minister on CHT Affairs
b)         Chairman/representative, Regional Council;
c)         Chairman/representative, Rangamati Hill District Council;
d)         Chairman/representative, Bandarban Hill District Council;
e)         Chairman/representative, Khagrachari Hill District Council;
f)          Member of Parliament, Rangamati;
g)         Member of Parliament, Bandarban;
h)         Member of Parliament, Khagrachari;
i)          Chakma Raja;
j)          Bohmang Raja;
k)         Mong Raja;
l)          Three members from non-tribal permanent residents of hilly areas nominated by the government from three Hill Districts.



This agreement is framed as above in Bengali language and is done and signed in Dhaka on the date of 02 December, 1997 A.D., 18 Agrahayan 1404 Bengali year.



On behalf of the inhabitants of
Chittagong Hill Tracts

SD/-
(Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma)
President
Parbattya Chattagram Jana
Sanghati Samiti


On behalf of the government of the
Peoples Republic of Bangladesh

SD/-
(Abul Hasanat Abdullah)
Convenor
National Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Government of Bangladesh

পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম এখনো বিদ্রোহ অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল! !!

পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম এখনো বিদ্রোহ অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল! !! রিপোর্টারের ডায়েরি   ঢাকা, বুধবার, ১৭ চৈত্র ১৪১৬, ১৪ রবিউস সানি ১৪৩১, ৩১ মার্চ ২০১০

রাজকূট 

বিপ্লব রহমান 

  সাবেক গেরিলা নেতা, পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের চেয়ারম্যান জ্যোতিরিন্দ্র বোধিপ্রিয় (সন্তু) লারমা ১৯৯৮ সালের শেষভাগে রাঙামাটিতে আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের জমকালো অভিষেক অনুষ্ঠানে যে বক্তব্যটি দিয়েছিলেন, তাতে তিনি স্পষ্টই অভিযোগ করেছিলেন, পার্বত্য শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের (১৯৯৭ সালের ২ ডিসেম্বর) আগে পাহাড়ে সেনাবাহিনীর 'অপারেশন দাবানল' চলছিল। শান্তিচুক্তির পর সেখানে শুরু হয়েছে 'অপারেশন উত্তরণ'। প্রশাসন, উন্নয়ন, আইনশৃঙ্খলা রক্ষাসহ সর্বত্র সেনাবাহিনী বেসামরিক প্রশাসনের ওপর কর্তৃত্ব করে চলেছে। এটি আসলে পরোক্ষ সেনাশাসন। সন্তু লারমা তাঁর ভাষণে প্রশ্ন রাখেন, কোথায় আজ কল্পনা চাকমা? তাঁকে কেন নিখোঁজ হতে হলো?

সে সময় আমি দৈনিক ভোরের কাগজের খুদে রিপোর্টার হিসেবে জনাকীর্ণ ওই আয়োজনের তথ্য-সংবাদ সংগ্রহের জন্য রাঙামাটির অনুষ্ঠানটিতে উপস্থিত ছিলাম। ঢাকা থেকে বিভিন্ন জাতীয় দৈনিকের বাঘা সাংবাদিকরা তো বটেই, এমনকি বিদেশি বিভিন্ন গণমাধ্যমের সাংবাদিকরাও উপস্থিত ছিলেন সেখানে।
শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের পর সন্তু লারমার নেতৃত্বাধীন শান্তিবাহিনীর প্রায় দুই হাজার গেরিলা ১৯৯৮ সালের ১০ ফেব্রুয়ারি খাগড়াছড়ি স্টেডিয়ামে অস্ত্র সমর্পণ করে। বিলুপ্তি ঘটে গেরিলা গ্রুপটির। একই সঙ্গে অবসান ঘটে পাহাড়ে তিন দশক ধরে চলে আসা সেনাবাহিনীর সঙ্গে শান্তিবাহিনীর রক্তক্ষয়ী বন্দুকযুদ্ধ। তার পরও শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের এক বছরের মাথায় আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের ওই অভিষেক অনুষ্ঠানে সরাসরি সেনাবাহিনীর বিরুদ্ধে সন্তু লারমার অভিযোগগুলো আমাকে ভাবায়। ঢাকা অফিসে পাঠানো খবরটি পরদিন সন্তু লারমার বক্তব্যসহ 'আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের যাত্রা শুরু' এমন শিরোনামে অধিকাংশ দৈনিক পত্রিকা ব্যানার হেডলাইনে প্রকাশ করে। কল্পনা চাকমাকে নিয়ে দেওয়া সন্তু লারমার বক্তব্যটি আমি একটি আলাদা সংবাদ করে ঢাকা অফিসে পাঠিয়েছিলাম। সেটিও প্রথম পাতায় বক্স আইটেম হিসেবে গুরুত্বসহ প্রকাশিত হয়।
এর কিছুদিন পর পার্বত্য পরিস্থিতির ওপর ধারাবাহিক সরেজমিন প্রতিবেদন করার জন্য আবারও আমি রাঙামাটি যাই। অন্যান্য প্রতিবেদন করার পাশাপাশি আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের বাসভবনে সন্তু লারমার একটি বিশেষ সাক্ষাৎকার নিই। সেটি ছিল আমার নেওয়া সন্তু লারমার দ্বিতীয়তম সাক্ষাৎকার। তাঁর প্রথম সাক্ষাৎকারটি নেওয়ার সৌভাগ্য হয়েছিল ১৯৯৪ সালের ৫ মে খাগড়াছড়ির দুর্গম দুদুকছড়িতে শান্তিবাহিনীর হাইডআউটে। পাহাড় তখন যুদ্ধ-বিক্ষুব্ধ। গেরিলা নেতা হিসেবে কোনো গণমাধ্যমে দেওয়া সন্তু লারমার সেটিই ছিল প্রথম সাক্ষাৎকার।
যা-ই হোক, রাঙামাটির আনুষ্ঠানিক সাক্ষাৎকারপর্ব শেষে সেদিন আমি তাঁকে একটু সাহসের সঙ্গেই জিজ্ঞাসা করে ফেলি, আচ্ছা লিডার, আপনি কেন আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের অভিষেক অনুষ্ঠানে সরাসরি সেনাবাহিনীর বিরুদ্ধে অমন অভিযোগ করে বসলেন?
তিনি মুচকি হেসে বললেন, আপনি তো সাংবাদিক। আমার অভিযোগটি সত্যি কি না, তা একটু খোঁজ করে দেখুন না!
তবু আমার কাছে বিষয়টি অস্পষ্টই থেকে যায়। আমি স্বীকার করে বলি, সরি লিডার, বিষয়টি এখনো আমার কাছে পরিষ্কার নয়।
সন্তু লারমা বলেন, দেখুন, এখানে এখন হরতাল চলছে (স্থানীয় পরিবহন মালিক-শ্রমিকরা কী নিয়ে যেন তখন রাঙামাটিতে হরতাল ডেকেছিলেন)। দেশের অন্যান্য অঞ্চলে হরতাল ডাকা হলে পুলিশ বাহিনীই আইনশৃঙ্খলা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করে। কিন্তু আপনি নিশ্চয়ই খেয়াল করেছেন, আমাদের এখানে পরিস্থিতি নিয়ন্ত্রণে রাখতে সেনাবাহিনী টহল দিচ্ছে, পুলিশ নয় কেন?
আমি মাথা নেড়ে ইতিবাচক সম্মতি দিলে তিনি বলেন, সেনাবাহিনী এ রকমভাবে পাহাড়ে যে আইনশৃঙ্খলার ওপর কর্তৃত্ব করছে, তা কি তারা বৈধভাবে করছে, না অবৈধ পন্থায় করছে, আপনি খোঁজ-খবর করে দেখুন না!
কোনো রিপোর্টারের জন্য এটুকু ইঙ্গিতই যথেষ্ট। আমি টের পাই, বিষয়টি নিয়ে ভালো করে অনুসন্ধান চালালে তা একটি ব্রেকিং নিউজ হতে পারে।
পরে ঢাকায় ফিরে এ ব্যাপারে খোঁজ নিই সদ্যগঠিত পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রামবিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয়ে। প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয়ের অধীনে স্পেশাল অ্যাফেয়ার্স ডিভিশন নামে ছোট্ট একটি বিভাগকে তখন সদ্য মন্ত্রণালয়ে পরিণত করা হয়েছে। নিয়োগ দেওয়া হয়েছে অনেক নতুন কর্মকর্তাকে। আমি খুঁজে বের করি পুরনো এক কর্মকর্তাকে, তিনি তখন উপসচিব পদে কর্মরত। তিনি আমাকে জানান, শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের আগে সাবেক রাষ্ট্রপতি জিয়াউর রহমান সরকারের আমল থেকে শুরু করে এরশাদ সরকারের আমল পর্যন্ত 'পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রামকে বিদ্রোহ উপদ্রুত অঞ্চল' ঘোষণা করে প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয় অন্তত চারটি ইন্সার্জেন্সি অর্ডার জারি করে। এই চারটি আদেশ বলে সেখানকার আইনশৃঙ্খলা, উন্নয়ন, প্রশাসনসহ বেসামরিক সবকিছুর ওপরে সেনাবাহিনী কর্তৃত্ব করছে। এমনকি শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের এক বছর পরেও ওই চারটি আদেশ প্রত্যাহার করা হয়নি।
বিষয়টি আরো নিশ্চিত হওয়ার জন্য প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের ওই সব আদেশের অনুলিপি (যা সে সময় স্পেশাল অ্যাফেয়ার্স ডিভিশন ও স্বরাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ে দেওয়া হয়েছিল) খুঁজি। কিন্তু নথিপত্রগুলো অনেক পুরনো হওয়ায় দিনের পর দিন এখানে-সেখানে খুঁজেও আমি এর ফটোকপি পাই না। তখনো অফিস-আদালতের দাপ্তরিক কর্মকাণ্ড কম্পিউটারাইজড না হওয়ায় এমন পুরনো কোনো কাগজপত্র খুঁজে পাওয়া ছিল সত্যিই খুব কঠিন।
শেষে পুরনো ওই নথিপত্রের সন্ধান করি স্বরাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ে। সেখানে এক যুগ্ম সচিব আমাকে খুবই স্নেহ করতেন। তিনিও আমাকে বলেন, তাঁর মন্ত্রণালয়ে এত পুরনো নথি পাওয়া মুশকিল। তবে তিনি চেষ্টা করবেন। এরপর দিনের পর দিন সেখানে ধরনা দিই। একদিন ওই যুগ্ম সচিব আমাকে গোপনে তাঁর কক্ষে নিয়ে দুটি ফ্যাক্স কপি দেন। আমি চমকে উঠি, এই সেই ইন্সার্জেন্সি অর্ডার! তিনি সেগুলো প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয় থেকে আবারও সংগ্রহ করেছেন। ওই দুটি নথিতে আরো দুটি একই রকম আদেশের কথা উল্লেখ করে স্মারক নম্বর দেওয়া ছিল। অর্থাৎ আমার হাতে তখন চারটি গোপন আদেশের নথি-প্রমাণ।
যুগ্ম সচিবও আমাকে নিশ্চিত করেন, এই আদেশগুলো তখনো প্রত্যাহার করা হয়নি। অর্থাৎ আমি সন্তু লারমার অভিযোগের আইনগত বাস্তবভিত্তি খুঁজে পাই। এর মানে এই যে শান্তিচুক্তির এক বছর পরও পাহাড়ে ইন্সার্জেন্সি অর্ডার চলছে। সেটি তখনো ইন্সার্জেন্সি এরিয়া (গেরিলা বিদ্রোহ অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল)। এ কারণেই সেখানে সেনাবাহিনী আইনশৃঙ্খলাসহ অন্য সব বিষয়ে বেসামরিক প্রশাসনের ওপর কর্তৃত্ব করছে।
কিন্তু তখনো আমার অনুসন্ধান শেষ হয়নি। আমি সেনা অপারেশন সম্পর্কে জানার জন্য দ্বারস্থ হই মেজর জেনারেল (অব.) সৈয়দ মোহাম্মাদ ইবরাহিমের বনানীর দপ্তরে। তিনি তখন পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম বিশ্লেষক তথা সামরিক বিশেষজ্ঞ হিসেবে পত্র-পত্রিকায় লেখালেখি শুরু করেছেন। আমার জানা ছিল, চাকরির সুবাদে পাহাড়ে তিনি ব্রিগেড কমান্ডার হিসেবে দীর্ঘদিন অবস্থান করেছেন। আমি তাঁকে আমার প্রাপ্ত তথ্যগুলো জানাই। জেনারেল ইবরাহিম সে সময় আন্তরিকভাবেই বলেছিলেন, শান্তিচুক্তি যখন হয়েছে, শান্তিবাহিনী যখন অস্ত্র সমর্পণও করেছে, তখন সরকারের উচিত হবে তাদের পক্ষ থেকে কথা রাখা। অর্থাৎ চুক্তিটি মেনে ওই ইন্সার্জেন্সি অর্ডারগুলো বাতিল করা, পাহাড় থেকে সেনাবাহিনীকে ব্যারাকে ফিরিয়ে আনা সরকারের কর্তব্য হবে। আমি তাঁর কাছ থেকে সেনাবাহিনীর অপারেশন সম্পর্কে সংক্ষিপ্ত একটি ব্রিফিংও পাই।
এরপর সরকারি কর্তাদের মন্তব্য নেওয়ার পালা। আমি তখনকার স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী মোহাম্মদ নাসিমের সঙ্গে তাঁর দপ্তরে বেশ কয়েকবার সাক্ষাৎ করার চেষ্টা করি। কিন্তু বরাবরই তিনি সাংবাদিক পরিবেষ্টিত দেখে একদিন ধরনা দিই তাঁর মিন্টো রোডের সরকারি বাসভবনে। সেখানে তদবিরকারীদের ভিড় গলিয়ে অনেক কষ্টে তাঁকে মিনিট দুই-একের জন্য একা পাই। আমি রিপোর্টটির বিষয়ে তাঁর মন্তব্য জানতে চাইলে তিনি বলেন, এটি তো সরকারবিরোধী সংবাদ। আপনাকে এই খবর লিখতে হবে না। যান, এটিই আমার মন্তব্য!
আমি তাঁর আচরণে খানিকটা আহত হলেও দমে যাইনি। দিনের পর দিন ধরনা দিতে থাকি তখনকার স্বরাষ্ট্রসচিব সফিউর রহমানের দপ্তরে। দক্ষ ও সৎ কর্মকর্তা হিসেবে তখন তাঁর যথেষ্ট সুনাম। কিন্তু ব্যস্ততার কারণে টেলিফোনে বা অফিসে কোথাও তাঁর সাক্ষাৎ পাই না। তিনি সন্ধ্যা ৭-৮টা পর্যন্ত অফিস করতেন। একদিন দুপুরে তাঁর দপ্তরে গিয়ে ভিজিটিং কার্ড পাঠিয়ে সচিবের একান্ত সচিবের কক্ষে বসে থাকি। সচিবের কক্ষে এই মিটিং, সেই মিটিং, অমুক-তমুকের সঙ্গে সাক্ষাৎ চলতে থাকে। ঘণ্টার পর ঘণ্টা কেটে যায়। কিন্তু আমার ডাক আর আসে না। সন্ধ্যা সাড়ে ৬টার দিকে তাঁর ব্যক্তিগত অফিস পিয়ন আমাকে জানান, সচিব মহোদয় এখনই অফিস থেকে বেরোবেন। আমি চট করে আরেকটি ভিজিটিং কার্ড, নোট বুক ও কলম বাগিয়ে লিফটের সামনে অবস্থান নিই। মুক্তিযোদ্ধা সচিব সফিউর রহমান গটাগট হেঁটে লিফটের সামনে আসেন, আমি তাঁকে সালাম দিয়ে ভিজিটিং কার্ডটি ধরিয়ে দিই। তিনি সামান্য হেসে সিলেটি উচ্চারণে বলেন, 'ভুরের কাগজ তো ভুরে ফড়ি, ভুরের কাগজ আবার সন্ধ্যায় কেন?'
ততক্ষণে লিফটের দরজা খুলে গেছে। সচিবের পেছন পেছন আমিও লিফটে উঠে পড়ি। বলি আমার প্রাপ্ত তথ্যগুলো। তাঁর কাছে একটি বিনীত মন্তব্য প্রার্থনা করি। তিনি বলতে থাকেন, আমি খসখস করে নোট নিতে থাকি। সফিউর রহমান বলেন, 'আপনি হয়তো জানেন, শান্তিচুক্তির আগে সেনাবাহিনীর কর্তারা পার্বত্য উন্নয়ন বোর্ড চেয়ারম্যান হতেন। কিন্তু শান্তিচুক্তির পর এই প্রথম সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে আমরা একজন নির্বাচিত এমপিকে (বীর বাহাদুর) ওই পদে বসিয়েছি। আঞ্চলিক পরিষদ হয়েছে। জেলা পরিষদ পুনর্গঠন হয়েছে। পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রামবিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয় হয়েছে। এর মানে এই যে আমরা বেসামরিক প্রশাসনকে শক্তিশালী করার চেষ্টা করছি। পাহাড়ের আইনশৃঙ্খলাও ধীরে ধীরে বেসামরিক বাহিনীর কাছে ন্যস্ত করা হবে।' অর্থাৎ স্বরাষ্ট্রসচিব সফিউর রহমান পরোক্ষভাবে স্বীকার করে নিলেন, শান্তিচুক্তি স্বাক্ষরের এক বছর পরও পাহাড়ে ইন্সার্জেন্সি অর্ডার চলছে। সেটি তখনো ইন্সার্জেন্সি এরিয়া।
লিফট নিচে নেমে এলে সচিব মহোদয় গাড়িতে উঠে পড়েন। আমি ফোনে আমার বার্তা সম্পাদক অমিত হাবিবকে সংবাদটি জানিয়ে দিই। তিনি দ্রুত আমাকে অফিসে এসে সংবাদটি লিখে দিতে বলেন। অন্যদিন হলে আমি প্রেসক্লাব থেকে লোকাল বাস ধরে বাংলামোটরের অফিসে যেতাম। কিন্তু সেদিন আমি সময় নষ্ট না করে একটি অটোরিকশা নিয়ে অফিসে রওনা হই। পথে মনে মনে নিউজটি কিভাবে লিখব, তা সাজাতে থাকি। সৌভাগ্যক্রমে সেদিন তেমন কোনো যানজটেও আমাকে পড়তে হয়নি।
অফিসে এসে এক টানে সংবাদটি লিখে প্রধান প্রতিবেদকের কাছে জমা দিই। অমিতদা তাঁকে নিউজটির বিষয়ে আগেই জানিয়ে রেখেছিলেন। ওই সংবাদে আমি সন্তু লারমা, জেনারেল ইবরাহিম ও স্বরাষ্ট্রসচিব সফিউর রহমানের মন্তব্য ব্যবহার করি। পরদিন 'পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম এখনো বিদ্রোহ-অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল!' শিরোনামে লিড নিউজ আকারে খবরটি প্রকাশিত হয়। সার্থক হয় একটি অনুসন্ধানী প্রতিবেদনের জন্য আমার প্রায় এক মাসের অক্লান্ত শ্রম। Source: http://dailykalerkantho.com/?view=details&archiev=yes&arch_date=31-03-2010&feature=yes&type=single&pub_no=121&cat_id=3&menu_id=77&news_type_id=1&index=14