Removing distrust among all concerned in the CHT region

The government should take a fresh look at the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) treaty that was signed with the tribals in the late 1990s. It should go for a dialogue with the tribal representatives with a view to improving it, for providing safety and security of life and property to all sections of people living in the CHT. The treaty is not any holy book. If amendments and improvements are found necessary, they should be brought about, in order to meet the ends of justice and fairplay and in the highest interest of the country. The CHT comprise about one tenth of total land area of Bangladesh which is too overpopulated and suffers from land scarcity. The CHT also is potentially very rich from the standpoint of natural resources including vital mineral resources. Bangladesh cannot admit any process that could lead to the "exclusion" of the CHT from its mainstream development activities. Both the tribal population and the Bengalis living there should enjoy equal rights, while the special case of the tribals do also merit some strong affirmative actions to safeguard their interests and promote their well-being. But such affirmative actions must not mean undermining the legitimate islands of others who have been living there for a long time. If the interests of all sides are not properly taken care of, this may create a backlash in the CHT. Already, the latest incidents in one of the areas in the CHT serves as a sordid pointer to that direction. So, it is high time to take appropriate steps and government must not feel about the CHT ambivalent in declaring its goals clearly and decisively. Particularly, the government is expected to show its mettle against extraneous pressure that do not conform to the interests of the country. The government that has been elected so massively by the people is expected to do everything that will uphold the legitimate interests of all citizens of Bangladesh -- tribals and the so-called locals in the CHT. In this context, the latest developments in some parts of the CHT merit a critical review so that the government takes the initiative right at this stage to address the root causes of such troubles and to help remove mistrust of any sort among all those living in the CHT. The sooner, the better.