A total of 41 eminent citizens has demanded the speedy implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) agreement by removing all obstacles.
Under the banner of the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), the demand was announced in a statement signed by the executive director of the organization, Shamsul Huda.
It is alleged that a powerful section of the government administration is creating major obstacles in the implementation of the CHT agreement, the statement said.
The statement also noted that the historic CHT agreement's 25th anniversary would be on December 2.
On December 2, 1997, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the government of Bangladesh signed this historic agreement in an effort to find a political solution to the Chittagong Hill Tracts issue.
However, even after 25 years, the implementation of the accord has not advanced as anticipated. The deal has only been partially implemented. To ensure the deal was followed, they presented the administration with 8 demands.
The statement was also signed by some prominent faces of the country like Human Rights Culture Foundation Chairperson and Human Rights Activist Sultana Kamal, ALRD Chairperson and Nijera Kori Coordinator Khushi Kabir, eminent economist and researcher Professor Mostafizur Rahman, Research Initiative Bangladesh (RIB) Executive Director Dr Meghna Guhathakurta, General Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Rana Dasgupta, Vice Chancellor of Central Women's University Parween Hasan, Executive Director of TIB Iftekharuzzaman.
The other signatories of the statement include General Secretary of Bangladesh Tribal Forum Sanjib Drang, Trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, photographer and social activist Shahidul Alam, Executive Director of BLAST Barrister Sara Hossain, Executive Director of Public Signature Campaign and former advisor to the caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury, Oxford University Visiting Research Fellow Shapan Adnan, Executive Director of Law and Arbitration Center Noor Khan, tribal rights activist Hana Shams Ahmed and tribal rights activist Lelung Khumi.
