KHAGRACHARI, Dec 1: To ensure peace in the three restive districts of Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) 15 thousand men of the security forces are deployed every night.
Though 23 years have elapsed since the signing of the historic Peace Accord little has been achieved in terms of real integration between the locals and the handful of migrants from the plain land.
The migrants are mainly victims of climate change of the early 80s.
The Peace Accord still struggles, for reasons such as militants not surrendering illegal arms, legal barriers, non-cooperation from and conflicts among some armed militant regional groups.
Although, endowed with natural beauty the three districts of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban have failed to attract tourists in large numbers.
Due to the security concerns tourism could not be promoted despite the natural beauty of Sajek Valley, surrounded by mountains and dense forests, Kaptai Lake, bounded by grassland and lush green hillocks and Bandarban's Niligiri Hills, a blue swathe with several spectacular waterfalls.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina government's strong political will led to the signing of the historic
Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 23 years ago. December 2 of 1997, became a red letter day in the history of the country, as the Agreement was signed between the government and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).
Turning tourism into a booming industry needs security of both domestic and international tourists. The overall economies of the three CHT districts have changed since these spots have attracted domestic tourists in recent days.
Meanwhile, without security guarantee tourists and even general people are unable to move from one place to another at night like in war-torn Africa.
The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs said 48 of the 72 provisions of the Accord have been fully implemented.
"The government is making a serious effort to implement the CHT Peace Accord (and) the work in this regard is progressing quickly," according to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. Among the 72 articles, 48 were fully and another 15 were partially implemented, and the realization of nine more articles is in the pipeline."
The agreement was signed to establish peace in the region, but it is still to be reached due to proliferation of illegal arms and incessant conflicts among the regional groups which frequently claim lives in the area.
Sources said two factions of PCJSS, one led by Shantu Larma and the other by MN Larma and Prasit Khisha-led UPDF were active in the three hill districts. The simmering unrest in the hilly region came to light after PCJSS and UPDF armed cadres conducted several forays for collecting extortion money from the local people.
In Khagrachhari, widespread panic persists among the residents-both the tribal people and migrants from the plains-after PCJSS gunmen killed several ruling party men, in apparent targeted killings, and a number of government officials and members of the Ansar in premeditated army-style ambush in the last five years. The families of the victims are yet to get justice.
UPDF (Democratic) is a breakaway faction from the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), a political party of the hill people opposing the CHT Peace Accord of 1997.
PCJSS-MN Larma came into being after Santu Larma-led Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), which had signed the peace accord with the government, split during the past caretaker rule in 2007-8.
On December 2 in 1997, under the leadership of MN Larma's younger brother Santu Larma, PCJSS signed the CHT Peace Accord that a large group of students of the hill districts refused to accept, leading to the formation of UPDF.
When visiting the three districts of CHT tourists fail to find accommodation in hotels. The government runs several development projects there. The road communication system has also changed in last five years.
The international hotel project, titled Marriott Hotel and Amusement Park, is going to be built here. Vested quarters and interested groups are opposing the construction of the five-star hotel at Bandarban as they did during the Sajek road construction. Local people would be benefited if the proposed five-star hotel is constructed, according to sources.
