Kolkata: Human rights activists in Bengal have raised concern over the safety of the north-eastern states in the wake of alleged attacks on the ethnic minorities at Chittagong in Bangladesh. They have also protested against the Bangladesh govt’s delay in implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord (CHT).
“We have been witnessing continuous attacks on the ethnic minority groups in Chittagong over the past few weeks.
The violence over these groups of peaceful people is unprecedented in recent times. A radical sentiment seems to sway Bangladesh and disturbing the inter-ethnic harmony in the country. The demographic change is threatening the north-eastern states,” said Mrinal Kanti Chakma, a human rights activist.
In Sept, over 100 shops and houses of the indigenous population were burnt by miscreants in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Former journalist, Subir Bhowmik, pointed out that the CHT accord was signed formally on Dec 2, 1997 but it has not been implemented till date. The rules for CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act have also not been formulated. The commission was formed to protect the indigenous peoples’ right to their ancestral land.