Rangamati Correspondent:
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens’ Council held a press conference demanding cancellation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement, which is discriminatory and inconsistent with the Bangladesh Constitution.
The press conference was held at a restaurant in Banarupa area of Rangamati city at 12 noon on Monday (December 1).
The speakers at the conference said that in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity of the Bangladesh state and the protection of the basic structure of the constitution, we are strongly demanding the immediate cancellation of the so-called ‘Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement’ of 1997.
The leaders commented that permanent peace and stability in the Chittagong Hill Tracts will never be possible without the cancellation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement.
The speakers at the press conference demanded that the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement, which is inconsistent with the constitution, must be cancelled immediately. Equal political, economic and land rights must be ensured for all citizens living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where there will be no special benefits for any ethnic group. Illegal weapons of all armed terrorist groups active in the hills must be recovered and strict steps must be taken to stop extortion. All security force camps withdrawn in the hilly region in the interest of national security must be re-established.
The press conference was attended by the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens Council, Md. Kazi Mujibur Rahman, Central Secretary General of PCNP, Shabbir Ahmed. Also present were PCNP Central Standing Committee Member and Senior Vice President Professor Abu Taher, Standing Committee Member and Rangamati District President of PCNP, Md. Solaiman, Vice President Maulana Abu Bakkar, Standing Committee Member and Khagrachhari District President Md. Lokman Hossain, Standing Committee Member M. Ruhul Amin, PCNP Central Office Secretary Md. Shahjalal, and other leaders.
