A Supreme Court lawyer by profession, he earned his Barrister-at-Law degree in the United Kingdom. Mir Helal also serves as a director of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and as the convener of its Legal Research Cell.
He recently spoke to Dhaka Tribune’s Tanvir Hasan about development, education, and economic opportunities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Dhaka Tribune: How do you plan to ensure equal rights and development for both ethnic communities and Bengalis in the Chittagong Hill Tracts?>
Mir Helal: The core goal of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is to build a society free from discrimination. This vision is also reflected in our 31-point agenda. We want to build a “rainbow nation,” where people of all ethnicities, communities, and groups enjoy equal opportunities.
In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, there are 13 ethnic minority groups along with Bengalis—making a total of 14 communities living together. Our aim is to ensure that all these communities benefit equally from development, prosperity, and security. We are working toward that goal, and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs will continue these efforts.
How do you evaluate the current political and social situation in the Hill Tracts?
At present, I see two major gaps in the region. The first is education. The light of education has not yet reached the region to the extent it should have.
The second issue is the lack of economic freedom. Most people in the region are struggling with economic difficulties. At the same time, the area requires significant infrastructure development, particularly in road connectivity.
If we can make progress in a few key sectors—education, economic development, healthcare, and access to safe drinking water—the living standards of people in the region will improve significantly.
The more the light of education spreads in a society, the more darkness recedes. Our goal is to ensure that the areas of darkness in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are illuminated by the light of education.
There are about 250,000 students in the Hill Tracts, and around 60–70% drop out at the primary level. What steps will you take to address this?
Education for all is important not only for the Hill Tracts but for the entire country. However, economic realities play a major role here.
Often, children cannot continue their studies because of family poverty. No matter how many incentives are provided, if a family is not financially capable, it becomes difficult to keep a child in school.
Therefore, economic freedom is extremely important. When people’s economic conditions improve, education rates will rise and dropout rates will decline. Many children are forced to work at an early age—not by choice, but out of family necessity.
We want to bring them under a social safety net through programs such as health cards, family cards, and farmer cards. Gradually, this will help reduce their financial hardship.
Another major problem is the lack of educational institutions in remote hill areas. That is why infrastructure development is extremely important. Without roads, building schools or hospitals becomes very difficult.
If road connectivity improves, transportation will become easier, goods can be moved efficiently, and constructing schools and hospitals will also become more feasible.
What is your opinion on the progress of implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord?
This matter does not fall directly under my department. It is a high-level government issue, and decisions will be taken by Parliament, the Ministry of Law, and the Cabinet Division.
As state minister, my primary responsibility is to oversee development activities. Within the responsibilities assigned to us, we are trying to deliver the maximum possible results.
You are one of the younger ministers. What plans do you have for creating employment opportunities for youth in the Hill Tracts?
We have several plans for young people. First, we want to establish a sports academy in the region. We have seen that footballers from the Hill Tracts—especially women—are playing important roles in Bangladesh’s national team.
We want them to have the opportunity to train in their own region. For this purpose, there is a plan to build a stadium and sports complex.
In addition, the Hill Tracts have a rich cultural heritage. We want to establish cultural centers to showcase this culture on the global stage.
Land disputes in the Hill Tracts have been a long-standing problem. What steps is the government taking?
The government certainly has plans regarding this. We want everyone to enjoy equal rights and to build a society free from discrimination.
The solution to this issue must come through dialogue. Nothing will be imposed by force. Solutions must be found through discussion and engagement with the people. I firmly believe that dialogue is the path to solving all problems.
What are your plans for tourism and economic development?
Not only tourism—there is enormous potential here in agriculture and fruit production, as well as in sectors such as the rubber industry.
Our first goal will be to modernize agriculture, increase production, and develop proper preservation systems. A large quantity of fruit is produced in the region, but much of it goes to waste due to a lack of storage and transportation.
If we develop cold storage facilities and improve transportation systems, this problem can be significantly reduced.
In tourism, we will prioritize eco-tourism. No tourism activity will be allowed that damages the environment of the hills and forests.
Our goal is to ensure that local people—both ethnic communities and Bengalis—benefit equally from development.
What message would you like to give to the people of the Hill Tracts?
Our message is very simple. We want to build a rainbow nation, where people of all religions, ethnicities, communities, and opinions move Bangladesh forward together. To achieve this goal, we seek the full cooperation of the people of the Hill Tracts.
Where would you like to see the Hill Tracts five years from now?
Not in five years—I want to see the Chittagong Hill Tracts become one of the best tourist destinations in the subcontinent within three years.