No fresh voter list in CHT

The Samo Adhikar Andolon leaders rejected the proposal at a press conference held at Bandarban Press Club on Thursday.

The leaders warned both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition that the hill people along with anti-peace treaty supporters would build up a strong movement to prevent any move to implement such proposal.

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The press conference was told that the peace loving people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are yet to accept the so-called peace treaty signed on December 2, 1997. Under the circumstances, the announcement of fresh voter list would create unrest in the CHT, they said.

The statement further said the Chittagong Hill District Council Act (amendment), Peace Treaty of 1998 and CHT Regional Council Act 1998 allow separate voter list only for CHT district council election, not for JS election. The proposal for fresh voter list is 'imaginary and unrealistic', they said.

Because of the 14-party leaders' ignorance about the CHT problem, they have included such a demand in their reform proposal of caretaker government and electoral system on July 15, they alleged. Such demand would create only new controversy, they said.

Parbatya Bangalee Samo Adhikar Andolon president Prof Osman Gani said, 'The demand is fully controversial'.

Among others, Azizur Rahman, Abdul Quddus, Abdul Mabud and Hafijur Rahman were present in the conference.