Indigenous people in three hill districts have formed a 300 kilometre-long human chain to demand that the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, signed 18 years ago, be implemented in full.
Spanning the distance from Panchari's Dudukchara in Khagrachari to Naikhyangchari's Ghundhum in Bandarban, the protest was organised by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens Committee, the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum and the CHT Headmen’s Network on Monday morning.
Speakers said the government had failed to implement the fundamental aspects of the accord nearly two decades after the landmark deal was signed.
A portion of the 300-kilometre human chain in Rangamati Photo: Ziaul Haque
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum district unit President Prokriti Ranjan Chakma, Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens Committee President Goutam Dewan and other leaders of the organisations addressed the human chain in Rangamati.
Speakers said several ministers had claimed that 80% to 90% of the accord had been implemented, which they disputed.
They asked the government to remove obstacles to the implementation of the accord, otherwise, hill district residents would opt for a tougher programme.