CHT accord implementation body recast

The Daily Star, Dhaka, Thursday, May 21, 2009

CHT accord implementation body recast

First JS body meet outside Dhaka

Our Correspondent, Bandarban

Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury has been made chairperson of the National Committee for Implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord.

State Minister for CHT Affairs Dipankar Talukder disclosed it at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on CHT affairs in Bandarban yesterday.

It was the first time parliamentary standing committee meeting was held outside the parliament house.

He said that the CHT Land Commission will be reformed soon. “We want to appoint an energetic person for the post of chairman as the land commission is the most important institution in CHT aspect,” he said.

The state minister said it is very difficult for an old person to maintain the huge responsibility as land commission chairman. A justice retires from service at the age of over 67 years and the land commission will perform better if its chairman has been appointed from other services, he added.

“In the mean time we talked to two persons for the post of chairman of the commission and they agreed to join," Dipankar said.

A proposal has been submitted by the state minister for CHT affairs before the standing committee meeting to take decision to appoint any retired government official from any other service as the chairman of land commission.

ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury MP, Jyotindra Lal Tripura MP, Abdur Rahman Bodi MP and secretary and officials of the ministry concerned and other departments attended the meeting presided over by Promod Mankin MP, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on CHT Affairs Ministry.

Prof Thanjama Lusai, chairman of Bandarban Hill District Council, was present at the meeting as a guest.

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The Daily Star, Dhaka, Monday, May 25, 2009

Dist councils of Bandarban, Rangamati reconstituted

Star Report

The government has reconstituted the Rangamati and Bandarban Hill District Councils.

The government, however, did not bring any change to the Khagrachhari Hill District Council as a case is pending with the High Court in this connection.

The CHT affairs ministry yesterday in separate fax messages dismissed the previous interim councils formed during the past caretaker government.

Our Rangamati correspondent reports: A five-member council was formed with district AL leader Nikhil Kumar Chakma as the chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council.

Four other members of the council are Aungsui Prue Chowdhury, Shamima Rashid, Brishaketu Chakma and Avilash Tangchangya.

Our Bandarban correspondent adds: Ka Shoilah Marma was made the chairman of Bandarban Hill District council. The members of the council are Kazi Mujibur Rahman, Prasna Kanti Tangchangya, Kew Sa Prue and Aung Prue Murang.

Ka Shoilah Marma was also the chairman of Bandarban Hill District Council in 1996-2001.

The previous interim councils were recast on July 15 in 2007.