Chittagong: Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Sa Ching Prue on Thursday informed Parliament that 65 out of the 72 clauses of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord signed in 1997 were fully implemented. 'Of the 72 clauses of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, 65 have been fully implemented at different times,' he said.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the minister made the remarks in reply to a question from opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Salah Uddin (Gazipur-4). He stated that the CHT Peace Accord was signed on December 2, 1997, between the National Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, formed by the government to resolve the situation in the CHT region, and the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).
Sa Ching Prue explained that the CHT Peace Accord consists of four parts, containing a total of 72 clauses. He noted that the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs is not solely involved in implementing the unimplemented provisions of the accord; rather, their implementation involves various ministries, departments, and agencies of the government.
Inter-ministerial meetings have been held at different times with the ministries concerned to expedite the implementation of the provisions, the minister said. He added that various activities are currently underway to implement the remaining provisions of the CHT Peace Accord as quickly as possible. 'The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs is making efforts to fully implement the unimplemented provisions of the accord through discussions with the relevant stakeholders,' he concluded.