Terming the Hill District Council Act as “discriminatory”, the people of Barua community have demanded an amendment to the law.
The central leaders of the Parbatya Chattogram Barua Sangathan made the demand at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday.
During the conference, they also demanded proportional representation in recruitment and educational scholarships in the three hill district councils: Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.
They also called for inclusion of Barua representatives in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, the Hill Tracts Ministry, municipalities and administrations of all 26 upazilas in the hill region.
They claimed that despite the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997, they have been excluded from key committees and administrative bodies for the last 27 years.
Barua leaders further urged the formation of a commission to address and eliminate longstanding inequalities.
Freedom fighter Dr Badal Baran Barua, president of the organisation, pressed a demand for an amendment to the existing Hill District Council Act.
“The peace accord has reserved the chairmanships of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban district councils for the Chakma, Tripura, and Marma communities, respectively,” he said. “This discriminatory provision must be repealed, and the positions should be open to all communities.”
Nirmal Barua Milon, general secretary of the organisation, criticised the peace accord for benefiting only three indigenous groups – Chakma, Marma, and Tripura – while excluding Barua, Tanchangya, Ahom, Santal, Gurkha, Kuki, Pangkhoa, Chak, Khumi, Khiyang, and Mro.
Nirmal Barua also pointed out that in the 2022 national census, members of the Buddhist Barua community were not listed separately by religion or household identity but instead grouped under the broader Bengali category.
He demanded that the community’s identity be distinctly acknowledged in future census reports.
Chief adviser of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Barua Organization Bhadanta Aditananda Mahathoro, central organiser Tridib Barua Tipu, and teacher Prakash Kusum Barua were also present at the press conference.