Bangladesh celebrates 12th anniversary of peace deal for hills

Bangladesh celebrated the 12th anniversary of a landmark peace deal that ended more than two decades of tribal insurgency.

Bangladesh on Wednesday celebrated the 12th anniversary of a landmark peace deal that ended more than two decades of tribal insurgency which claimed around 20,000 lives and forced thousands of people to take refuge in neighbouring India.

The government,political,social and cultural groups undertook a series of programmes to mark the anniversary as rallies and colourful street marches beating traditional tribal drums featured the celebration in the rugged hill districts of Rangamati,Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

But the anniversary also drew media attention to the the implementation status of the peace deal in the three districts called Chittagong Hill Tracts as the former insurgents and government leaders took stock of the implementation status of the agreement.

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“The (CHT) peace accord has set a unique example of establishing peace,” former Shanti Bahini insurgent leader and currently the chairman of the autonomous CHT Regional Council Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma told a press conference at his office yesterday.

He said the peace deal signed during the ruling Awami League’s previous 1996-2001 tenure had earned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the UNESCO Peace Prize as an international appreciation for the accord.

“But many of the clauses of the agreement are yet to be implemented due to lack of political will,” Larma said.

Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu and Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji

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