Senior and junior leaders of the district unit of the ruling Awami League are in the middle of a bitter conflict over the reconstitution of Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC).
In last couple of party meetings the leaders engaged in altercations and even scuffled with each other over the issue.
General Secretary of Khagrachhari district Awami League Md Jahidul Alam said KHDC is now running with only three members out of the five. As a result, activities of some 22 government offices have been handed over to the KHDC as per the CHT accord is being hampered.
Under the circumstances, the government on March 10 decided to reconstitute the council with 11 members to enhance developmental activities.
The government is also verifying the legal aspect of an 11-member council and hope to form the new council within a shortest possible time, added Jahidul Alam.
“We hope to evaluate dedicated party leaders, especially those who had to suffer and face hundreds of false cases during the BNP-led four-party alliance,” he said.
The proposed 11-member KHDC council might include Matiranga Upazila AL President Shamsul Hoque, Ex-Manikchhari Upazila AL President Abdul Jabbar, Dighinala Upazila AL President Md Abul Kashem and District AL Vice-President Rono Bikrom Tripura, among others.
But former district President of Bangladesh Chhatra League Mongsuiprue Chowdhury Apu and other Awami League affiliated front organisations leaders rejected the proposal of senior AL leaders. On July 4, 7 and 15 junior leaders and activists of some seven front organisations engaged in scuffles with senior party leaders over the reconstitution of the council.
District AL President and lawmaker from Khagrachhari constituency Kujendra Lal Tripura said: “I will sit with all party leaders to settle the issue.”