Hill Voice, May 27, 2022, Special Correspondent: Raja Devashish Roy, Chief of the Chakma Circle, called for determining the role of all law enforcement and security forces including the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) on the basis of the provisions of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Accord.
He made the call while addressing as special guest at the inauguration of APBN Regional Office in Rangamati on Wednesday (May 26).
At the beginning of his speech, Raja Devashish Roy wished him success inauguration of the APBN Regional Office in maintaining law and order and in contributing to the welfare of the state and local people.
Raja Debashish Roy appealed to the government through the Chief Guest of the event for playing role of all law and order and security forces including APBN, on the basis of provisions of the CHT Accord, signed on 2 December 1997 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
At this time, he also drew kind attention of the Chief Guest Home Minister on the following three issues. First of all, he called upon the concerned institutions to take action to protect and uphold the rights of the local people including the customary law.
Secondly, he also called upon all law enforcement and security forces including the APBN to play their role in maintaining respectful relations with people of all walks of life including traditional leaders.
He said, “There are more than 500 women Karbars (village head), four thousand general Karbaris, 360 mouza headmen, and three circle chiefs. in the region. I certainly assure you of the full cooperation of our organization and I will appeal to the authorities concerned to play their role in maintaining law and order by keeping proper relations with them. “
Thirdly, he called upon the government to immediately implement the appropriate role and functions of the Hill District Councils in maintaining law and order by appointing police from sub-inspectors to constables among from members of different nationalities by the Hill District Councils.
He opined that sustainable peace could have been restored in the region if Hon’ble Sheikh Hasina had properly called for ending the unwanted role of various political parties and so-called political parties in the region and for upholding the fundamental rights of citizens and nationalities.
He said, “Members of the then Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), who had been in the jungle for years before the signing of the CHT Agreement on 2 December 1997, at the call of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, have come forward with confidence in her. I do not see any reason why this should not materialize now.”
He added that looking at it from a narrow perspective would not solve the CHT problem. If this problem is not solved, it will not be good for stability, peace, law and order and overall development not only in CHT but for the whole country.
Finally, he expressed the hope that “while the Prime Minister will call, we will all join, so that we can restore peace and law and order in the region, under the territory of Bangladesh so that the people of the region can gain proper progress.”
