UPDF demands CHT land commission act amendment

UPDF demands CHT land commission act amendment

The United People’s Democratic Front president, Prasit Bikash Khisha, and the general secretary, Rabi Shangkar Chakma, in a statement on Saturday demanded amendment to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2001 to introduce democratic decision-making process.

The party also warned the government against its attempts at giving legitimacy to outsiders in the Chittagong Hill Tracts through the controversial acts of the land commission and the cadastral survey.

The leaders of the regional political party also demanded inclusion of headmen and karbaris of the disputed land areas in the commission, clearly defining traditional law, customs and system of Chittagong Hill Tracts and barring land grabbers from lodging complaints with the commission.

The party demanded conducting a cadastral survey only after resolution of the land disputes and cancellation of the allocation of land to Bengali settlers during the military regimes of Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad.

The leaders said resolution of land disputes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and rehabilitation of settlers were related issues.

They asked the government to take initiatives to take back the Bengali settlers in the plains and rehabilitate them there.