Source: PCJSS
On 28 May 2012 the 5th meeting of the CHT Accord
Implementation Committee was held at the office of the deputy leader of the
Parliament of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka. The meeting started at 10.00 am
and continued for more than two hours.
Presided over by convenor of the CHT Accord Implementation
Committee and deputy leader Ms. Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, the meeting was
attended by member of the committee Mr. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, president
of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and Mr. Jatindra Lal
Tripura MP, chairman of the Task Force on rehabilitation of returnee refugees
and IDPs. Besides, adviser to the prime minister on international affairs Dr.
Gowher Rizvi was also present there on special invitation.
The agenda on amendment of CHT Land Dispute Resolution
Commission Act of 2001, progress of implementation of the CHT Accord and
overall situation in CHT were discussed in this meeting. It is learnt
that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.
In this meeting, the CHT Accord Implementation Committee stuck
to its stand on three points in the draft proposals for amendment to the CHT
Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act of 2001 and cancelled another proposal
for involvement of Land Ministry, Ministry of CHT Affairs (MoCHTA) and CHT
Accord Implementation Committee over the functions of the CHT Land Dispute
Resolution Commission. It is mentionable that CHT
Regional Council (CHTRC) and Ministry of CHT Affairs (MoCHTA) had finalised a
draft bill for amending the Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act of 2001 with
13 proposals and the CHT Accord Implementation Committee in its last meeting
endorsed them for amendment, but the Land Ministry sought fresh opinion on four
proposals.
The Land Ministry objected to the proposal for replacing
the Section 6(1)(a) that reads “To settle the land related dispute of the
rehabilitated refugees in accordance with the existing laws and customs in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts” with “In addition to quick settlement of the disputes
of lands of the rehabilitated tribal refugees to settle, all disputes of lands,
which have been illegally given in settlement and occupied in accordance with
the existing laws, customs and usages of Chittagong Hill Tracts”.
The Land Ministry objected to the proposal for dropping the
sub-section of section 6(1)(c) that reads, ‘Provided that, this sub-section
shall not be applicable in case of Reserved Forests, Kaptai Hydroelectricity
Project area, Betbunia Earth Satellite Station, state-owned industries and land
recorded with the Government or local authorities.’
The Land Ministry objected to the proposal for replacing
the words “another two members” with “another three members” of the Section
7(3) that reads, “Attendance of the Chairman and another three members on the
meeting shall be necessary for maintaining quorum and the Chairman of the
commission shall preside over all meetings.”
The Committee decided in the meeting that the three
proposals mentioned above would remain the same. The CHT Accord Implementation
Committee also decided the following for implementation-
(a)
To place a bill for
amending the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act of 2001, in the current
budget session of parliament;
(b)
To send draft bill for
amending the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act of 2001 to the CHTRC to
get its final consent prior to place in the parliament;
(c)
To transfer the
subject “Land and Land Management” to the Hill District Councils as soon as
possible;
(d)
To finalise the draft
Rules of Business of the CHTRC and execution of the CHTRC complex project;
(e)
To grant necessary
fund for CHTRC’s office-cum-rest house in Dhaka and CHTRC complex project;
(f)
To hold meeting of the
CHT Accord Implementation Committee in every month.
In his discussion, Mr. Jatindra Lal Tripura raised to provide
adequate fund to the Task Force on Rehabilitation of Returnee Refugees and IDPs
for setting up its office, appointment of staff and logistics.
Mr. Larma raised the issues of declaration of a
roadmap with timeframe in order to ensure effective implementation of CHT
Accord, withdrawal of temporary camps, involvement of
CHTRC in amending the NGO policy, controversial activities of chairman of CHT
Land Dispute Resolution Commission etc.
Participating in the discussion on overall situation in
CHT, Mr. Larma said that the CHT situation might go beyond control within the
next couple of months if the government did not show visible progress in
implementing the CHT Accord. The Jumma people do not want to hear promises
anymore, they want deeds, he said.
Mr. Larma also informed the Committee about the anti-accord
terrorist activities of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) and Bengali
settlers and asked to the government to ban the UPDF. He also informed about
recent grenade attack on the students of Hill Students Council (PCP) in
Rangamati, killing of Anil Chakma in Laxmichari by armed group of the UPDF,
heinous raping and killing of 11-year old Sujata Chakma in Longadu by Bengali
settlers etc. Mr. Larma said that the CHT people are passing their life with
fear and insecurity due to non-implementation of CHT Accord.
