RANGAMATI, Feb 27: Residents and officials of Rangamati accorded a warm reception to Dipen Dewan, Minister of the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs, when he arrived in Rangamati for the first time after assuming office.
As the newly appointed minister reached his parliamentary constituency on Saturday, locals began greeting him with flowers from the Godarpar area of Rangamati.
Upon his arrival at the Rangamati Circuit House at noon, he was received by Chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Major (Retd) Arup Kumar Chakma, Rangamati Zila Parishad Chairman Kajal Talukder, Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi, Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdur Rakib, along with officials from various government departments and leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Speaking to journalists, the minister said, he would work with all stakeholders to accelerate balanced development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, adding that no discrimination would be tolerated in development initiatives in the region.
He said, he has set a 180-day target and would present visible progress after completing initial work.
Dipen Dewan also said, no activities that promote inequality or undermine communal harmony in the hill region would be allowed.
"Development is not limited to a single sector. Our main goal is to ensure progress in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and all other sectors," he said, adding that efforts would be made to bring development to areas that have remained neglected for decades.
Addressing party leaders and activists, he said the BNP now serves the people, and public service must remain their primary objective.
