Hill Voice, 24 May 2024, Khulna: A solidarity view-exchange meeting with the slogan ‘Build a tougher united movement to implement the CHT Accord’ will be held tomorrow (May 25) at 3 pm at the Press Club in Khulna. The CHT Accord Implementation Movement, a civic platform, will host the event.
On this occasion, a leaflet was also published by the host committee and distributed it among the people in Khulna city.
The leaflet demanded 5 points for solving the CHT problem permanently by implementing the CHT Accord speedily and fully, and 2 separate demands for the indigenous peoples of the plains.
The demands for a permanent solution to the CHT issues are:
1. To implement the CHT Accord, a timetable-based action plan should be formulated and the CHT Accord should be implemented speedily and properly.
2. To withdraw military rule from the CHT.
3. To democratize the Regional Council and the three Hill District Councils, and to ensure special governance system, these councils should be properly empowered as per the CHT Accord.
4. For a permanent solution to the CHT land problem, the CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission should be effective to ensure the land rights of the IDPs and India-returnee Jumma refugees by rehabilitating them.
5. Ensure participation of the CHT indigenous people in the mainstream economic progress and sustainable development of the country.
Demands for indigenous peoples of the plain land:
1. To preserve special seats for the indigenous peoples in plains in all local government bodies including the Union Parishad, and take special measures to improve the status of life of the indigenous peoples.
2. A separate land commission should be constituted for the indigenous peoples of the plains.
It is to be noted that immediately after formation of this platform named ‘CHT Accord Implementation Movement’, consisting of eminent citizens of the country, it organized a mass march and solidarity rally demanding the full implementation of the CHT Accord for the first time on December 20, 2022 in Dhaka.
After that, the platform organised the Chittagong Divisional Solidarity rally and mass march on January 31, 2023 on the banks of Laldighi in Chittagong; 20 March 2023, Rangpur Divisional Solidarity rally and mass procession; 5 June 2023, Mymensingh Divisional Solidarity rally and mass march; 22 September2023, Sylhet Divisional rally and procession to establish the rights of indigenous peoples including the implementation of the CHT Accord.
In addition, on the initiative of this platform, on April 8, 2023, a discussion meeting on “responsibility and duty of the country citizens for implementation of the CHT Accord”; March 25, 2023 procession, student and youth solidarity rally in front of the National Museum of Dhaka to demand the implementation of the CHT Accord; on September 27, 2023, a discussion meeting titled “Commitments and Responsibilities of political parties to implement the CHT Accord” at the National Press Club of Dhaka, on November 5, 2023; the platform issued an open letter to political parties to accelerate the movement for the implementation of the CHT Accord; 23 December 202, Solidarity discussion at Reporters Unity in Dhaka on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the platform and on March 19, 2024, a mass communication and leaflet distribution program was held in Dhaka from Press Club to Dainik Bangla intersection in favor of the implementation of the Accord.
