Terrorism is still not on the wane. A huge arms haul has been made in Bogra. And now the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace plan seems to be jeopardised. All of this turmoil in the country has been further highlighted by frequent gunbattles in the CHT. Rival armed activists belonging to Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), and several other splinter groups are engaged in open skirmishes in different areas of the hill districts. Over the last six months 22 persons were killed, 77 abducted, and over 130 injured in various incidents. The latest recovery of one AK-47 rifle with 19 rounds of bullets by the Army personnel at Rumaghat area in Bandarban speaks volumes about the state of unrest in the area.
All of this has resulted in finger-pointing at each other by the various political groupings of Chittagong Hill Tracts, including some armed rebels. This is somewhat in the lines of what is happening in the rest of the country. The prime duty of the government is to try to ensure adequate food and shelter and the right to be able to live in their homes in peace. But reports from the Hill Tracts indicate that unrest and consequent violence are endangering the rights of citizens there to earn their food and live in peace without let and hindrance.
Stop skirmishes
It is hoped that skirmishes in the Hill Tracts will not take an ugly shape. But if sabre rattlings are not contained without delay, they may lead to widespread terrorism and violence there. Successive governments of all political leanings from 1947 till date have given due importance to the concentration of tribal groups in Chittagong, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and some other areas. Time has come to seriously grapple with the problem.