Chattogram: The four-day ‘Hill Tracts Fair and Youth Festival-2025’ was inaugurated at the Chattogram Hill Tracts Complex Ground on Bailey Road. Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma, along with Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan and Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Nahid Islam, jointly officiated the opening of the event.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the inaugural ceremony was attended by notable figures including Supradip Chakma, Chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Refugee Rehabilitation Task Force Sudatta Chakma, and Chairman of the Bandarban Hill Tracts District Council Professor Thanjama Lusai. Also present were Baren Lal Tripura, Associate Professor of AIUB English Department, and Dr. Rashida Ferdous, Secretary of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry.
The event was further graced by the presence of Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. AFM Khalid Hossain, and other distinguished guests including the Chairmen of the three District Councils of CHT and representatives from local and international organizations also attended.
The festival began with the playing of traditional flutes and musical instruments, followed by the lighting of the ‘Mongol Deep (Welfare Lamp)’. Post-ceremony, the advisers toured the fairground, which features around 83 stalls.
A special reception was held to honor SAF winner footballers Rituparna Chakma, Rupna Chakma, Monika Chakma, international referee Joya Chakma, national boxing champion Sukrishna Chakma, and Ironman Rajesh Chakma, all hailing from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The inaugural day concluded with a vibrant cultural performance. The fair will run until February 1.