The government has formulated a long-term and co-ordinated plan to stop the use of illegal weapons and restore peace in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region, State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin said.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday after a meeting at Rangamati Deputy Commissioner’s conference room, the state minister emphasised that a permanent solution to the conflict cannot be achieved solely through immediate operations by law enforcement agencies.
Instead, the government’s primary goal is to eradicate darkness from society through education, health, infrastructure development, and employment generation.
The meeting, organised by Rangamati District Administration, was held to monitor law and order, anti-corruption and drug control, ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability, and overall development activities.
“If self-employment and an improved education system can be ensured for the people, the use of illegal weapons and violence will decline,” Helal said.
He added that the government is advancing with a holistic approach that includes legal, social, educational, and economic measures.
Emphasising the importance of e-learning and quality education to bring light to remote areas, he noted that ensuring equality in education would remove the disparity between the people of the hills and the plains.
Referring to the principles of democracy and good governance, the state minister said the proponent of multi-party democracy, former president Ziaur Rahman, opened the path for constructive criticism, which is the core beauty of democracy.
Helal added that the people are the real owners of the country.
He urged everyone to work unitedly to build a drug-free and peaceful hilly region by avoiding all activities contrary to the interests of society and the nation.
The meeting was chaired by Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi. It was attended by lawmaker Dipen Dewan, local region commander, newly appointed chairman of district council, superintendent of police, additional district magistrate, along with leaders of district BNP and representatives of civil society.
