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Meeting on Amendment of CHTLDRC Act held at Land Ministry
On 11 August 2011 a meeting on amendment of CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission (CHTLDR) Act 2001 was held at Land Ministry of Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka with Land Minister Mr. Rezaul Karim Hira in the chair.
Among others, State Minister for Law Advocate Md. Qamrul Islam, member of CHT Regional Council Mr. Goutam Kumar Chakma and K S Mong Marma attended the meeting. Government officials from Land Ministry, Law Ministry and CHT Affairs Ministry were present in this meeting. Besides, three Deputy Commissioners of three hill districts of CHT were also invited in the meeting.
It is mentionable that on 12 July 2001, just the day before the handing over charge to the Caretaker government, the then Awami League government hurriedly passed the CHTLDR Act 2001 in the parliament without taking into account the advice and recommendations given by the CHTRC. As a result, so many provisions crept into the Act which were contradictory to the CHT Accord and detrimental to the interest of the Jumma people. As a result, a 19-point recommendation paper on the part of the CHTRC was sent to the government for amendment to the contradictory provisions of the CHT Land Commission Act 2001.
After assuming in the state power by present government, the CHTRC once again sent the recommendation to the government on 7 May 2009 for amendment to the contradictory provisions. Accordingly a series of meetings were held with the CHTRC delegation in the Land Ministry and CHT Affairs Ministry during the period of present government for amendment of this Act.
Finally, on 20 June 2011 CHT Affairs Ministry sent final version of amendment proposals of CHTLDR Act to Land Ministry for taking necessary initiative to place Cabinet and then Parliament for final adoption.
However, instead of taking necessary action for adoption of this Act in the Cabinet and Parliament, Land Ministry called a meeting on 11 August 2011 to start discussion again on amendment proposals of this Act sent by CHT Affairs Ministry. As did earlier, soon after starting of the meeting, some officials of Land Ministry started to oppose against the amendment proposals of the Act.
Finding no alternative, finally it was decided to send the CHTLDR Act to CHT Accord Implementation Monitoring Committee for final decision. This decision was nothing but to make time killing.
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