A boycott campaign by sections of the hill people, demanding the reinstatement of former Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan, has cast a shadow over this year’s Parbatya Fruit Exhibition Fair-2026.
While many Indigenous entrepreneurs expressed support for the movement, they felt compelled to participate in the event to avoid severe financial losses.
Ahead of the three-day fair, which runs from 27 to 29 June at the CHT Complex on Dhaka’s Bailey Road, boycott campaign circulated on social media.
These posts urged the public to avoid events organised under the current administrative arrangement of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, serving as part of the broader agitation for Dewan’s reinstatement.
Many entrepreneurs attended the fair with mixed emotions.
“We all want Dipen Dewan to be reinstated,” said the owner of Fulbareng Parbatya Panyer Jhuri. “We only learned yesterday that the Jumma community had decided to boycott the festival. But as entrepreneurs, each of us has invested around Tk4,00,000 to Tk5,00,000 in produce for this event.
Although we support the movement, we have to protect our livelihoods. That is why we decided to participate,” the business owner TIMES of Bangladesh.
Several other exhibitors shared this sentiment, explaining that they sympathised with the boycott but could not afford to stay away after making substantial financial commitments.
Hena Chakma, an entrepreneur from Famous Organic Food, observed that the protest had noticeably affected turnout.
“Many people from our Jumma community stayed away due to the boycott. Most of our customers today are from the Bengali community, while the number of Jumma visitors is comparatively low,” she said.
Among the visitors, Moli Tripura admitted attending the fair with reluctance. “I did not want to come today. However, I attended the programme at the request of several officials from the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs,” she explained.
While attendance from the hill communities was lower, the fair drew a steady stream of Bengali visitors who appreciated the diverse hill fruits on display.
“The fruits are fresh and unique. I bought pineapples, hill lemons, and processed foods,” said Mehedi Hasan.
The three-day Hill Fruit Fair was inaugurated by State Minister for Land and CHT Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin.
Attendees included MPs Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Saching Prue and Madhobi Marma. Although former CHT Affairs Minister and Rangamati MP Dipen Dewan was listed as a special guest, he did not attend.
In his address, Mir Helal explained that the fair aims to showcase the rich diversity of fruits produced in the hill districts while expanding market opportunities.
He stated that the government is working to strengthen branding, value addition and market access for regional agricultural products to improve farmers’ incomes.
The exhibition continues until 29 June at the CHT Complex in Dhaka.
