The Independen, 2 June 2004
STAFF REPORTER
A heated debate took place at the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs over
the proposal for handing over the power of the CHT Regional Council to a
directly-elected body.
The Jatiya Sangsad body wondered whether the government could hold
direct election to the regional council, but refrained from making
specific recommendations on arranging direct polls.
On the other hand, Deputy Minister for CHT Affairs Moni Swapan Dewan
said holding direct polls was against the spirit of the Peace Accord
signed by the government in 1997 with the Parbatya Chattagram Jana
Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).
He said as per the Accord, the regional council would be formed
indirectly by an electoral college composed of members of three hill
district councils which would be constituted by adult franchise.
Abdul Wadood Bhuiyan, the lone lawmaker elected from Khagrachhari
district and a member of the standing committee, threatened to walk out
of the meeting as Rupayan Dewan, an Awami League leader of Rangamati
district and member of regional council, who attended the meeting on
special invitation, demanded expunging some of the remarks of Bhuiyan.
"The PCJSS and its chief Santu Larma made commitment that all forms of
terrorism and killing would be stopped when the Peace Accord was signed.
But the spree of killing and abduction is going on in the hill tracts,"
Bhuiyan said and demanded that the CHT Regional Council should be formed
through direct election as a five-member body, nominated by the previous
government, was running the council.
Wadood Bhuiyan's proposal was supported by another member Mufti Abdus
Sattar Akan. Some of the members suggested whether the government could
think of holding direct election to the regional council.
As Rupayan Dewan demanded expunging the statement of Bhuiyan from the
proceedings of the meeting, he (Buiyan) stood up and threatened to quit
the meeting. He said Rupayan Dewan could not make such a demand since he
was not a member of the committee.
"We should not always blame the PCJSS and Santu Larma for terrorism.
Terrorism is taking place across the country and the CHT is not an
exception," the Minister said. He clarified that as the polls to the
district councils were not being held owing to complexity of voters'
list, the CHT regional council could not be formed anew. He said the
nominated board should continue till the elections to the district
councils were held.
The last election to the district councils were held in 1989. Since then
nominated people have been running the councils.
Committee chairman, Mosharaf Hossain presided over the meeting at the
Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban attended, among others, by committee members
Moazzem Alal and Shahjahan Chowdhury.