Most of the works under CHT Peace Accord have been implemented: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Sheikh Hasina said the government has constituted commission for land reform in the CHT areas times and again, but the work of the commission could not progress satisfactorily as there were some mistrust and confusion.

"To find out a solution both sides need to sit across the table," she said while addressing the foundation laying ceremony of 'Parbatya Chattagram Complex' (Chittagong Hill Tracts Complex) at city's Baily Road here today.

The Prime Minister said the government is progressing with the tasks of implementation of the CHT Peace Accord. The rest of the work would be done gradually. Only four brigades would be there in the CHT, she said adding "most of the army camps in the CHT have already been closed and rest of the camps would be withdrawn."

Referring to the demand for amendment to some sections of the CHT Act framed in 2001, the Prime Minister said dialogue has already been launched on this issue and the government is ready to do everything what is possible under the constitutional framework upholding country's independence and sovereignty.

The Prime Minister said people of Chittagong Hill Tracts are citizens of Bangladesh. So the government has taken massive programmes for development of the area including road communication, marketing of the products, power supply and telecommunication.

She said CHT Development Board Act 2014 has been enacted to expedite the pace of development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Change has been brought in the administrative system and most of the tasks were transferred under the authority of Deputy Commissioners.

Deputy Leader of the Parliament and Convenor of CHT Peace Accord Implementation and Monitoring Committee Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Minister for Housing and Public Works Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of CHT Regional Council Joytirindra Bodhi Priya Larma (Santu Larma), Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on CHT Affairs RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury attended the function as special guests.

State Minister for Ministry of CHT Affairs Bir Bahadur Ushoy Shing presided over the function while secretary of the ministry Nabobikram Kishore Tripura gave welcome address. Department of Architecture, designer of the Complex, gave a video presentation on different aspects of the building to be constructed on about two acres of land adjacent to Dhaka Officers' Club on Baily Road in the city.

Expressing her immense pleasure for laying the foundation of the CHT Complex in the capital on the International Mother Day' and 155th birth anniversary of Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore, the Prime Minister said the long dreaming Complex would bring enormous opportunities and benefit for the people of the CHT.

Sheikh Hasina said Chittagong Hill Tracts is a paradise of natural beauty, where she visited first in 1970 with her mother, sister and brother and enjoyed beauty of whole area with great delight. The pristine place was rattled with fire for long time, causing grief and pain for her, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, out of the responsibilities of a political party, she, after coming home in 1981 from exile life, tried to understand the situation and stop the bloodshed in the CHT. Awami League had formed a committee to find out the problems, demands of the people and make headway to resolve the crisis, which culminated the peace accord when Awami League assumed power in 1996, she said.

The Prime Minister extended her thanks to Santu Larma for keeping trust in her saying at that time every political party in the parliament, except BNP, joined hand with the peace process. BNP didn't join the parliamentary committee and opposed the peace agreement.

BNP even enforced hartal on the days of signing of the peace accord and surrendering of arms by rebels, she said adding that the CHT Peace Accord was an unique one in the world history of ending insurgency as it was accomplished without mediation of any foreign country or third party.

"On the eve of the signing of the peace accord," the Prime Minister said "BNP men flew Indian flags in different parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and tried to misguide people saying that CHT will be part of India once the peace accord is signed."

"But our deep association and mutual trust with hilly people made the signing the deal possible," she said adding that people of the CHT are part of us. What a foreigner would do or give solution if we cannot understand and resolve their problems.

Sheikh Hasina said 1,800 tribal youths, who brandishing with sophisticated arms roamed around the hills for long time also surrendered their arms keeping trust in me what was also an epoch making chapter of the peace process. "The government has brought many of those youths to the mainstream life by giving them job with the law enforcing agencies," she said.

"We have kept every word that we gave before signing of the peace accord," the Prime Minister said adding that the refugees were brought back home and most of them except some from Longgadu, were rehabilitated properly.

Sheikh Hasina said around 1,359 kilometer roads were constructed in the CHT apart from building many bridges, pole and culverts. Due to inaccessibility of grid line, the government has taken steps to lit up the CHT homes with solar light.

"Some Taka 889 crore was earmarked for giving electricity to every house in the CHT," she said foreign development agencies are also working in the hill areas for socio-economic development of the people.

Praising the peace loving attitude and truthfulness of the hilly people the Prime Minister said her government is making stride to create an atmosphere when hilly people would be able to live peacefully and prosperously.

Pointing out the steps taken by her government for promotion of education in the CHT areas, the Prime Minister said all schools and colleges in the CHT, from now on, would be residential as because of difficulties of children to come to the school on foot or transport every day.

The government has made easy the policies for constituting new Union Parishad and Upazila in the CHT to reduce the sufferings of the people in getting administrative services in the remote areas, she said.

Urging the CHT regional council chairman Santu Larma to take initiative to build an attractive building complex in CHT the Prime Minister said the government has already allocated land for this purpose in the desired area of the CHT council leaders.

She hoped that a beautiful plan would be prepared for construction of the complex in the CHT and construction of the building would be completed during the current tenure of her government.