Discrimination and insecurity persist in hill tracts even after 5 decades of independence: CHT Sampriti Alliance

Despite more than five decades having passed since Bangladesh's independence, the country's indigenous and marginalised communities in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) continue to face systemic discrimination, political neglect and insecurity, the CHT Sampriti Alliance has alleged.

Members of the organisation made the remarks at a press conference held at the National Press Club in Dhaka today (6 February), ahead of the upcoming 13th national election. At the event, the alliance strongly criticised political parties for what it described as double standards, irresponsibility, and a lack of concrete planning regarding the region.

Addressing the press, CHT Harmony Alliance Convener Engineer Thoiching Mong Chak said political parties routinely speak of development, human rights, and democracy during election periods, but remain silent or deliberately avoid discussions when it comes to the Chattogram Hill Tracts.

He said no political party has so far presented a clear, time-bound, and accountable plan on fundamental issues such as education, healthcare, employment, land rights, cultural recognition and public security in the region.

"This failure is not accidental; it is the result of prolonged political neglect," he added.

Calling on political actors not to use the Chattogram Hill Tracts as a testing ground for political experiments, Thoiching Mong Chak said the region's indigenous communities are not beggars but equal citizens of the state, entitled to full constitutional rights.

The alliance also sharply criticised the stance of political parties on the Rohingya crisis, describing it as deeply questionable. According to the organisation, the issue has repeatedly been used either to attract international sympathy or as campaign rhetoric, while no party has offered a clear, long-term solution.

"If this mismanagement leads to social instability and security risks in the Chattogram Hill Tracts and other border regions, responsibility will lie with the political forces in power," Thoiching Mong Chak said.

Speaking at the press conference, CHT Sampriti Alliance leader Md Shakil Mia said the demands of marginalised communities are largely absent from political parties' election manifestos. While some promises are made in certain cases, he said they are often symbolic and disconnected from ground realities. He also called for doubling the current minimum wage for garment workers.

At the press conference, the alliance made several demands of political parties. These include announcing a written and implementable development plan for the Chattogram Hill Tracts, adopting a clear political position on land and cultural rights, formulating a long-term and security-focused solution to the Rohingya crisis, and placing the CHT at the centre of national priorities in election manifestos.

The organisation also demanded a clear stance on the proposed cancellation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord and urged political parties to take an uncompromising position against all illegal armed separatist groups active in the region.

"The people of the Chattogram Hill Tracts will no longer accept politics based on deception," Thoiching Mong Chak said. "Silence on the rights of marginalised communities will be viewed by the public as a political crime."

The press conference was also attended by CHT Harmony Alliance spokesperson Paishikhai Marma, Mahin Hasan Sourav, I H Rafi and others.