The appointment of Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin as state minister for the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs has sparked fresh political controversy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), apparently after the recent resignation of Dipen Dewan as minister.
Human-chain demonstrations held simultaneously in Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban on Sunday demanded his removal from the ministry and the reinstatement of former minister Dipen Dewan.
Speaking at a human chain organised by the Citizens’ Society of Rangamati in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, participants alleged that the appointment of a state minister to the ministry violated provisions of the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.
Similar demonstrations were held outside the Khagrachari Press Club, followed by the submission of a memorandum to the prime minister through the district administration. A human chain was also organised in Bandarban town over the same issue.
The protesters argued that Clause 19 of Part D of the 1997 CHT Peace Accord stipulates that the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs should be headed by a minister drawn from the indigenous peoples of the region.
They claimed that the appointment of the current state minister contradicted both the spirit and the provisions of the accord.
They also alleged that former minister Dipen Dewan had been compelled to resign on health grounds.
Political debate in the hill districts has intensified following the appointment to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs under the BNP-led government. Questions surrounding political representation, implementation of the peace accord and greater authority for regional institutions have long been subjects of debate in the CHT.
The controversy emerged after Dipen Dewan, the BNP lawmaker from Rangamati who had served as the full minister in charge of the ministry, stepped down from his position.
In recent years, the Chittagong Hill Tracts have continued to face challenges, including clashes among regional political groups, extortion, abductions and security operations.
Participants in the demonstrations argued that maintaining peace and communal harmony in the region requires the confidence and trust of local residents.
Following the demonstrations, memorandums were submitted to the prime minister through the respective district administrations.
The protesters demanded the announcement of a roadmap for the full implementation of the CHT Peace Accord, the restructuring of the ministry’s leadership in accordance with the Accord, and greater consideration of local opinion in decision-making processes affecting the region.
