3 bills for CHT groups

Three separate bills have been placed in Parliament to enable small ethnic groups to join the district councils of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, State Minister for the CHT tabled the bills - ‘Rangamati Hill District Council (Amendment) Bill 2014’, ‘Khagrachari Hill District Council (Amendment) Bill 2014’ and ‘Bandarban Hill District Council (Amendment) Bill 2014’.

The tabling was accompanied by the proposal to amend three relevant laws enacted in 1989.

The bills were sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the CHT ministry for further scrutiny. The panel will give its views to Parliament.

The state minister explained the need for the Rangamati District Council Bill 2014, saying the new legislation would ensure the participation of the local ethnic population in the council’s functioning.

He said: “After the formation of Chittagong Hill District Council, its chairman and other members were elected through direct votes just once.

“In 2009, the Rangamati District Council was abolished and an interim council, with one chairman and four members, were formed according to the law of 1989.

“Though members of the ethnic groups and non-tribal people have to participate in the district council, they have not been part of it for a long time.”

The proposed bill suggests three Chakma members and one each from the Marma, Kheang, Lusai, Tanchangya and Tripura ethnic groups, besides three non-tribal members in the district council.

The proposed Khagrachari District Council bill recommends three Chakma members and two each from the Marma and Tripura tribes, along with three non-tribal members.

The proposed Bandarban Hill District Council bill provides for two Marma members, and one each from Chakma and Tanchangya, Mro, Tripura, Chak, Khiang and Khumi , Boam, Lusai, and Pankhu communities, and three non-tribal members in the district council.