Bangladesh recognises CHT as ‘foreign affairs issue'

Chakma body welcomes move, says it is a historic shift

New Delhi: Jan 15, 2025: The interim government of Bangladesh has recognised the  Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region as a “foreign affairs issue”.

The government also notified reconstitution of the CHT Accord Implementation & Monitoring Committee with Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hussain as the Convenor and Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, President of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) and Suddatta Chakmna, Chairman of the Task Force for Rehabilitation and Resettlement of the Returnee Refugees from India.

The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) on Wednesday welcomed this move.

In 1997, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord was signed between insurgent JSS and Bangladesh Army to bring peace to the region.

“This historic shift of the Government of Bangladesh to recognise the Chittagong Hill Tracts as a subject matter of foreign affairs is welcome. The Chittagong Hill Tracts despite having 98.5% non-Muslim populations was awarded to Pakistan in violations of the letter and spirit of the Indian Independence Act of 1947 under which two dominions for Muslims and non-Muslims were created out of British India. The indigenous people of the CHTs had raised Indian flags on 15th August 1947 before being illegally awarded to Pakistan on August 17, 1947,” said Suhas Chakma, founder of the CDFI.

The successive governments of Bangladesh have not taken any measures to implement the CHTs Accord of 1997. The military camps have not been withdrawn, the lands illegally occupied by the illegal plain settlers were not returned, refugees have not been properly rehabilitated and resettled, and no elections to the CHTs Regional Council and three Hill Districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts has been held as on date, the CDFI said in a statement.

Bangladesh: Adivasi students protesting against removal of the word ‘Adivasi’ from texbooks attacked by Islamic students group, several injured

The Adivasi students belonging to Songkhubda Adivasi Chhatra Janata group had organised a protest outside the NCTB to oppose the removal of the word 'Adivasi' from the back cover of the 9th and 10th grade Bangla Grammar and Composition Textbook

Dhaka, 15 Jan, 2025: Several students belonging to the Adivasi community were brutally attacked by members of a group of Bengali Muslims called Students for Sovereignty in Motijheel area of Dhaka in Bangladesh on Wednesday. According to reports, the students from the minority Adivasi community were protesting in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) against the removal of graffiti with the word ‘Adivasi’ in school textbooks. On the other hand, the other group was supporting the removal.

As per reports, the Adivasi students belonging to Songkhubda Adivasi Chhatra Janata group had organised a protest outside the NCTB to oppose the removal of the word ‘Adivasi’ from the back cover of the 9th and 10th grade Bangla Grammar and Composition Textbook on January. The word Adivasi was used on the back cover of the textbook with a picture depicting a tree with five leaves, each inscribed with a term for a religious or ethnic community in Bangladesh including Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Adivasi. Next to the picture was a message that read, ‘Tearing leaves is prohibited’.

The picture was removed from the online version of the book after the Islamic Chhatra Shibir students from the ‘Students for Sovereignty’ group surrounded the NCTB premises on January 12.

The Adivasi students under the banner ‘Agitated Adivasi Students’ gathered near the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University on Wednesday morning, from where they marched towards the NCTB office to hold a protest. However, the members of ‘Students for Sovereignty’ reached the NCTB office in advance to stop the protesters. Anticipating trouble, the police arrived, and when the Adivasi group arrived, the cops tried to keep the two groups separated.

But a clash broke out between them. Police tried to move the two groups farther from each other. But eventually, the ‘Students for Sovereignty’ group overpowered the police, and attacked the Adivasi students. The attackers were armed with sticks. Several Adivasi students sustained serious injuries during the attack. Subsequently, the Adivasi students were reportedly chased away by the other group. ‘Students for Sovereignty’ group remained in front of the office, armed with sticks.

“The Adivasi protestors have left the area after being chased off by the students. Now the situation has returned to normal. The students are staying on one side of the road”, said Motijheel Inspector Mohainmenul Islam.

According to reports, 11 students have been injured in the attacks. Two students sustained grievous injuries and were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Rupaya Shresta Tacnchongya, Ishaba Renyoung Mro, Dhanajetra, Juwel Mark, Shaili, and Tani Charing are among the injured students. The attackers have reportedly been identified as Mohammed Abu Sadiq Qayem, President of the Islamic Chhatra Shibir in Dhaka University, S M Farhad, Secretary and Mohammed Yakub Majumdar, Joint Convenor of the Students for Sovereignty.

Muhammad Ziaul Haque Zia , Convenor of the Students for Sovereignty, described the word ‘Adivasi’ as seditious. “Our demands have only been partially met by removing the graffiti featuring an imagery of united India with the seditious term ‘Adivasi’ from the cover of the textbook. But we also demanded the removal of Rakhal Raha alias Sajjad, who was on the revision committee, and the formation of an investigation committee to identify those involved in this”, he told bdnews24.

Tejang Chakma, Deputy Director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) said that the group would seek the UN intervention in the matter. “The RRAG shall take up the issue with the United Nations, diplomatic community and the interim government to arrest the culprits. The real face of Dr Mohammad Yunus is coming out and Adivasi students cannot even protest in capital Dhaka with safety”, said Chakma.