Dipen Dewan resigns from cabinet

Three months after his appointment to the BNP government's Cabinet, Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Dipan Dewan has resigned.

Dipan, who was elected member of parliament from Rangamati in the 13th parliamentary election on the BNP ticket, cited health complications for the decision, said Atikur Rahman Ruman, additional press secretary to the prime minister, reports bdnews24.com.

He tendered his resignation on Monday, the first day after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, and it was accepted.

The resignation letter written to the prime minister said, "Since assuming office, I have been suffering from various physical complications. Due to my illness, I have faced difficulties in carrying out the regular duties of the ministry.

"I consider it necessary to resign from my current position in the interest of the development of the current government and to increase the dynamism of administrative work."

Advocate Dipen once served as a senior joint district judge before leaving his job in 2005 to join BNP politics. Former BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was the country's prime minister at the time.

Dipen's father Subimal Dewan was the "tribal affairs" advisor to BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman. He was also the general secretary of the founding committee of Rangamati district BNP. In 2010, Dipen was elected president of the Rangamati district BNP.

In 2016, he was appointed as the BNP's central deputy religious affairs secretary. He still holds that position.

Dipen contested in his first parliamentary election on Feb 12 this year, being elected MP after defeating UPDF-backed independent candidate Pahel Chakma by a margin of 169,066 votes.

When the BNP, which won the polls in a landslide, formed the government under the leadership of Tarique Rahman on Feb 17, Dipen was given appointed to lead the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. He resigns from that position after three and a half months.

BSS adds: President Mohammed Shahabuddin has accepted the resignation of Dipen Dewan from his post as Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs.

The resignation letter of CHT Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan has been accepted by the President, said a gazette issued by the Cabinet Division following the order of the Head of State.

The resignation became effective from the date of its acceptance by the President, it added.