Land Adviser AF Hassan Ariff has said that there are external conspiracies aimed at disrupting harmony in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
He said this during a meeting with US Chargé d'Affaires Helen LaFave at the Secretariat on Sunday.
During this bilateral meeting, they engaged in detailed discussions regarding the enhancement of relations between the two countries.
He said that they are working as trustees for students, the public, and workers to establish a democratic environment in the country.
He expressed a desire to create a setting in Bangladesh that enables elected representatives to govern through free and fair elections, highlighting that US support for an interim government would contribute to the practice of democracy in Bangladesh.
He emphasized that ministries should be system-dependent rather than person-dependent, advocating for the establishment of a system that remains intact regardless of who occupies the ministerial position.
Discussing the ongoing unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, he said his recent visit to Rangamati, where he held discussions on the matter.
He said there are external conspiracies to disrupt harmony in the region and those responsible for recent attacks remain unidentified. A strong investigative committee is being formed to uncover the culprits behind these incidents.
In the meeting, LaFave underscored the importance of women's empowerment and urban health programs in Bangladesh.
In response, Hassan Ariff highlighted that women actively participate in rural road construction and serve as sanitation workers in municipalities and city corporations.
He also mentioned that the secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives is a woman. He expressed hope for international donor support for citizen health improvement, infrastructure development, and economic prosperity.