AL leaders now aspirants for KHDC posts
The government is going to bring changes in Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC) following resignation of its chairman and three councillors in the face of agitation by ruling party men.
Four senior AL leaders including district Awami League Vice President Rono Bikrom Tripura, Kujendra Lal Tripura, Kongjori Marma and Press Secretary Samir Datta Chakma are aspirants for the chairman post, district Awami League sources said.
Lawmaker from Khagrachhari constituency Zatindra Lal Tripura told this correspondent that the newly set chairman and councillors of Khagrachhari hill district councils may take over within a couple of days.
However, the Khagrachhari district council did not receive any official letters as of yesterday, KHDC officials said.
The last elections in three hill districts were held on June 25, 1989.
As per the 1989 act, permanent residents are supposed to elect a chairman (indigenous) and 30 members (indigenous and Bangalee) for KHDC.
There is also a provision for three reserved seats for women (two indigenous and one Bangalee) in KHDC.
After signing of the historical peace accord in December 1997, the local government councils of the hill districts were renamed as hill district councils (HDC).
The then Awami League (AL) government in 1996 first set interim KHDC. Each five-member council consisted of a chairman (indigenous) and four members, one of them being Bangalee, KHDC sources said.
The four-party alliance government also selected their own men for the interim KHDC after assuming power in 2001. The former caretaker government also set new interim KHDC.
"There is no alternative to full-pledged HDCs if the government wants to implement the CHT peace accord," Senior Vice President of district Awami League Rono Bikrom Tripura said.
Appreciating the latest move for reconstructing the KHDC by the present government, Samiron Dewan, the first elected chairman of the then local government in Khagrachhari, urged the government to take steps for holding KHDC elections immediately to ensure participation of all indigenous people for sustainable development of the region.
Monindra Lal Tripura, former chairman of KHDC, also urged the government to give election and ensure the participation of people from all the communities as per CHT peace accord.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments