PCJSS demands
immediate amendment of CHT Land Commission Act 2001 as per decision of CHT
Accord Implementation Committee
 |
| Photo: Benoy Tripura |
On 29
April 2013 the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) organised public
meeting in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office of Rangamati district and
submitted memorandum to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh demanding immediate
amendment of contradictory provisions of the CHT Land Disputes Resolution
Commission Act 2001 as per decision of the 4th and 5th meeting of the CHT Accord
Implementation Committee and inter-ministerial meeting held on 30-07-2012 with
Law Minister in the chair.
Presided
over by vice president of PCJSS Mr. Ushatan Talukdar, the gathering was
addressed by assistant information and publicity secretary of PCJSS Mr. Sajib
Chakma, general secretary of Rangamati district branch of PCJSS Mr. Nilotpal
Khisa and general secretary of Hill Student Council Mr. Jyotisman Chakma
Bulbul. The meeting was conducted by staff member of central office of PCJSS
Mr. Udayan Tripura.
It is
mentionable that after assuming the state power by the Awami Laegue-led grand
alliance, on 7 May 2009 the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council (CHTRC)
once again sent the 19 point recommendations for amendment of contradictory
provisions of the CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001 to the
government. After that, a dozen of meetings over the amendment of contradictory
provisions of the Act were held at different levels. At a stage, on 20 June
2011 Ministry of CHT Affairs (MoCHTA), having consultation with CHTRC,
finalised 13-point amendment proposals of the Act and sent them to Land
Ministry for taking necessary initiative to place before the Cabinet as well as
Parliament for final adoption. Later on, the 13-point proposals for amendment
of CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act was adopted in the 4th and 5th
meeting of CHT Accord Implementation Committee held on 22 January 2012 and 28
May 2012 respectively and also Inter-ministerial Meeting held on 30 July 2012
with the Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed in the chair.
But the
Land Ministry officials particularly the Land Secretary Mr. Mokhlesur Rahman
and other officials continued opposing the most vulnerable recommendations of
13-point amendment proposals, such as, the Functions of Powers of the
Commission [section 6(1)(c)], Quorum of the Commission meeting [section 7(3)],
Procedure of resolving land disputes and adoption of decision [7(5)] etc.
On the
face of the opposition of the Land Ministry officials and Armed Forces Division
of the Prime Minister’s office, the Law Ministry did not make the minutes of
inter-ministerial meeting held on 30 July 2012. Alternatively, it is learnt that, on 9 April
2013, the Law Ministry chaired by Law Minister organised another meeting with
the Land Minister Barrister Rezaul Karim Hira and the Land Secretary Mr.
Mokhlesur Rahman in which the State Minister of MoCHTA Mr. Dipankar Talukdar
and one Joint Secretary Mr. Basudev Acharya, Dr. Gowher Rizvi (Advisor to the
PM on International Affairs) and his personal secretary Mr. Debabrata
Chakraborty were present. The Home Minister Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, who was
involved in the process of signing the CHT Accord of 1997, also was present. In
the said meeting, amendment proposals of CHTRC were reviewed again. The Land
Secretary Mr. Mokhlesur Rahman placed opinion for modification on few most
vulnerable proposals and the said meeting decided to prepare minutes as per
opinions of Land Secretary which are against the final decision of the
inter-ministerial meeting held on 30 July 2012. It is also learnt that based on
this minutes, presently Land Ministry is drafting the Bill for amendment of the
CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2001.
If the CHT
Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001 were amended modifying the most
vulnerable issues, such as, the Functions of Powers of the Commission, Quorum
of the Commission Meeting, Procedure of resolving land disputes and adoption of
decision, it would be more defective and it would create more complication in
resolving CHT land disputes. With this backdrop, PCJSS organised procession and
submitted memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding-
(1)
to
stop such unilateral and controversial initiatives for amendment of the CHT
Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001 as per opinion of officials of
Land Ministry including its Secretary and
(2)
to
amend the CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001 as per decision of
the 4th and 5th meeting of the CHT Accord Implementation Committee and
inter-ministerial meeting headed by Law Minister held on 30-07-2012.
Following is the memorandum of PCJSS submitted to the Prime Minister:
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source: PCJSS
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