At least 354 members of the security forces including 176 army personnel were killed in ambushes by armed groups before the signing of an agreement (known as CHT Accord) between Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) and the government on December 2 in 1997. Since then it has been widely known as the "Peace Accord."
Meanwhile, PCJSS is yet to surrender in person to the authorities with all their arms, ammunition and also did not handover full list of their arms cadres as stipulated in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord. However, the government mostly fulfills their agreement, according to sources.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina government's strong political will led to the signing of the historic Chattogram Hill Tracts Peace Accord 25 years ago.
December 2 of 1997, became a red letter day in the pages of history, as the Agreement was signed on the day between the government and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).
The Chattogram Hill Tracts Peace Accord contains 72 sections. Only two provisions will be implemented by JSS and the government will implement the rest.
The government implemented 48 sections fully and 25 sections partially with implementation of 9 sections in progress. But JSS claimed only 25 sections have been implemented fully and 18 partially and 29 sections have not been implemented at all.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tract Affairs said 48 out of a total of 72 provisions had 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 Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs.
According to a clause of CHT Peace Accord JSS shall submit to the government the lists of all its members including the armed ones and the arms and ammunition under its possession and control within 45 days of signing the agreement.
The government and the Jana Sanghati Samity shall jointly determine the date and place for depositing arms within the 45 days of signing the agreement.
After determination of date and place for depositing arms by the members included the list of the Jana Sanghati Samity the government shall ensure security for return of JSS members and their family members to normal life, according to the clause.
During the same period, from 1971 to 1998, a total of 354 members of the security forces were killed in ambushes by armed groups. After the agreement, 35 people were killed from 1999 to October 2023.
Among them 176 army members, 111 BGB members, 32 police members, 70 Ansar and VDP members. A total of 475 members of these forces were injured. Out of which 254 are army members, 116 BGB members, 90 police members and 15 Ansar and VDP members.
According to local law enforcing agency, at least 5,000 sophisticated weapons like 144 LMGs, 641 SMGs/AK-47 rifles, 323 7.62 MM rifles, 122 M-16 rifles, 59 G-3 rifles, 85 22 rifles, 5 Sniper rifles, 180 pistols, 40 mortars, 180 local pistols, 245 local guns, 1,166 hand grenade and 54 rocket-launchers still belong to the four tribal regional groups.
UPDF (Democratic) was formed from UPDF (Main) due to the same ideological conflict with UPDF (Main). Besides, emergence of Marma Nationalist Party (MNP) and Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in Rangamati and Bandarban respectively has become a new challenge to JSS (Main). Therefore, JSS (Main) is gradually losing ground and overall domination in CHT.
Under the development plans of the government, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has been implementing different projects, including roads, bridges, culverts, building constructions and refurbishment works, in the hilly area, he further said.
Saikat Sahin, Superintendent of Police in Bandarban, said regional organizations are active here. But the situation is much better now than at any time in the past.
