TRANSLATED ENGLISH VERSION
OF
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS
CONSTITUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT
AND
THE PARBATYA CHATTAGRAM JANA SAMHATI SAMITI
Reposing full and unswerving allegiance in the State-sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bangladesh regarding its hill tracts region within the ambit of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the National Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti on behalf of the inhabitants of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region have reached the following Agreement, comprised of four Parts (A, B, C, D), with a view to upholding the political, social, cultural, educational and economic rights of all the citizens of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region and expediting their socio-economic development process and preserving and developing the respective rights of all the citizens of Bangladesh:-
(A) GENERAL:
1. Both the parties, having considered the Chittagong Hill Tracts region as a tribe-inhabited region, recognized the need of preserving the characteristics of this region and attaining the overall development thereof.
2. Both the parties have agreed to make alter, amend and add to, in consonance with the consensus and responsibilities expressed in the different section of this Agreement, the relevant laws, regulations and practices according to law as early as possible.
3. In order to monitor the process of implementation of this Agreement, an Implementation Committee will be formed with the following members:
a) A member to be nominated by the Prime Minister: Convenor
b)The Chairman of the Task Force formed with the Purview of this agreement: Member
c) The President of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti: Member
4. The Agreement shall come into force from the date of its signing and execution by both the parties. This Agreement shall remain valid from the date of its effect until all the steps are executed as per this Agreement.
(B) HILL DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL/HILL DISTRICT COUNCIL:
Both the parties have agreed to alter, amend, add to and repeal the Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad Ayin, 1989 (Rangamati Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad Ayin, 1989, Bandarban Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad Ayin, 1989 and Khagrachari Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad Ayin, 1989) and its various sections, as may be in force till the date of commencement of this Agreement, in the manner set forth here under:
1. The word “Tribe” used in the various sections of the Council Act shall remain in tact.
2. The name of “Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad” shall be amended and this Council shall be re-named as “Parbatya Zilla Parishad”.
3. “Non-tribal Permanent Resident” shall mean a person who is not a tribal and who has lands of lawful entitlement in the hill districts and who generally lives in the hill districts at a specific address.
4. a) There shall be 3 (three) seats for women in every Hill District Council. One third (1/3)
third (1/3) of these seats shall be for the non-tribals.
b) Sub-section 1, 2, 3 and 4 of section 4 shall remain in force as per the original Act.
c) The words “Deputy Commissioner” and “Deputy Commissioner’s” appearing in the second line of sub-section (5) of section 4 shall be substituted by the words “Circle Chief” and “Circle Chief’s” respectively.
d) The following sub-section shall be added to section 4: “Whether a person is a non-tribal or not and, if so, which community he is a member of, shall be determined, subject to his producing a certificate from the concerned Mouza Headman/Union Council Chairman/Municipality Chairman, by the concerned Circle Chief and without a certificate in this connection being received from the Circle Chief, no person shall be eligible as a non-tribal to be candidate for the post of a non-tribal member”.
5. It is provided in Section 7 that a person elected to the post of Chairman or Member shall, before assumption of office, swear or affirm oath before the Commissioner, Chittagong Division. This shall be amended by provisions to the effect that the Members shall swear or affirm oath before “a Judge of the High Court Division” instead of the “Commissioner, Chittagong Division”.
6. The words “to the Commissioner, Chittagong Division” appearing in the fourth line of section 8 shall be substituted by the words “as per election rules”.
7. The words “three years” in the second line of Section 10 shall be substituted by the words “five years”.
8. It shall be provided in Section 14 that in the event of the post of Chairman falling vacant for any cause or of his absence, a tribal member elected by other members of the Council shall preside over and discharge other responsibilities.
9. The existing Section 17 shall be substituted by the following sentences: “A person shall be entitled to be considered as legally eligible for enlistment in the Voters’ List if he is (1) a citizen of Bangladesh, (2) not below 18 years of age, (3) not declared by any competent court to be of unsoundly mind, (4) a permanent resident of the hill district.
10. The words “delimitation of constituencies” appearing in sub-section 2 of Section 20 shall be distinctly incorporated.
11. There shall be a provision in sub-section 2 of Section 25 to the effect that the Chairman and in his absence, a tribal Member elected by the other Members shall preside over all the meetings of the Council.
12. Since the entire area of Khagrachari district is not encompassed by the Mong Circle. the words “Khagrachari Mong Chief” appearing in Section 26 of the Act regarding Khagrachari Hill District Council shall be substituted by the words “Mong Circle Chief and Chakma Circle Chief”. Similarly, there shall be made a scope for the attendance of the Bohmang Chief in the meetings of Rangamati Hill District Council. In the same manner there shall be provision that the Bohmang Circle Chief, at his will or on being invited, shall be entitled to attend the meetings of Bandarban Hill District Council.
13. It shall be provided in sub-section (1) and (2) of Section 31 that a Chief Executive Officer of the rank of a Deputy Secretary to the government shall be the Secretary of the Council and the tribal officers shall be given preference for appointment to this post.
14. a) There shall be provision in sub-section (1) of Section 32 that the Council shall be
competent, subject to approval by the government, to create posts of officers and employees of different categories for the purpose of smooth completion of the works of the Council.
b) Sub-section (2) of the Section 32 shall be formulated in the following manner “The Council shall, as per Regulations, have competence to appoint Class-III and Class-IV employees and to transfer, suspend, dismiss, remove or otherwise punish them.
Provided that it shall be the condition attached to such appointments that the tribal residents of the district concerned shall have right of preference”.
c) It shall be provided in sub-section (3) of Section 32 that the Government shall, as per Regulations, have the authority to appoint officers in consultation with the Council and to transfer elsewhere, suspend, dismiss, remove or otherwise punish them.
15. The Words as per Rules shall be inserted in sub-section (3) of Section 33.
16. The words “or in any other way determined by the Government” appearing in the third line of sub-section (1) of Section 36 shall be deleted.
17. a) The provision starting with “Fourthly” in sub-section (1) of Section 37 of the original
Act shall remain in tact.
b) The pharae “as per as” shall inserted in clause ‘D’ of sub-section (2) of Section 37.
18. Sub-section (3) of Section 38 shall be deleted and sub-section (4) shall be formulated as
follows: “At any time before the expiry of a financial year, a budget may be prepared and approved, if necessary, for that financial year”.
19. The following sub-section shall be added to section 42: “(4) The Council shall be competent to prepare, undertake and implement, with the help of money receivable from the Government, development projects in respect of the matters transferred to it and all development programs at national level shall be implemented through the Council by the concerned Ministry/Department/Institution”.
20. The word “Government” appearing in the second line of sub-section (2) of Section 45 shall be substituted by the word “Council”.
21. Sections 50, 51 and 52 shall be repealed and in their stead the following Section shall be enacted: “In order to ensure harmonization of the activities of the Council advice or instructive orders, if necessary, if the Government be convinced on having received such evidence that any activity done or proposed to be done by or on behalf of the Council is inconsistent with law or contrary to public interest, it shall then have the authority to call for in writing from the Council information and explanation about the matter concerned and give advice or directive in that regard.
22. The words “after the expiry of the period of being defunct” in Sub-section (3) of Section 53, shall be deleted and instead thereof the words “Within 90 days of cancellation of the Council” shall be inserted before the words “this Act”.
23. The word “Government” will be replaced by word “Ministry” in the third and fourth lines of Section 61.
24. a) Sub-section (1) of Section 62 shall be amended as follows: “Notwithstanding anything
contained in any other law for the time being in force, Sub-Inspectors and all members of ranks subordinate thereto of the Hill District Police shall be appointed by
the Council as per Regulations and prescribed procedure and the Council shall be competent to transfer them and take punitive action against them in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Regulations;
Provided that, the tribals of the district shall have preference in case of the said appointment.
b) The words “subject to the provisions of all other laws for the time being in force” as appear in the second line of sub-section (3) of Section 62 shall repealed and substituted by the words “as per law and rules”.
25. The words “to render assistance” in the third line of Section 63 shall remain in tact.
26. Section 64 shall be amended and enacted as follows:
a) “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, no land and premises, including the leasable Khas lands, within the territorial limits of the Hill Districts shall be transferable by Ijara, settlement, purchase or sale except with the prior permission of the Council;
Provided that this provision shall not be applicable in respect of the area of Reserved Forest, Kaptai Hydro-electric Project, Betbunia Satellite Station, State-owned in the industries and factories and the lands recorded in the name of the Government”.
b) “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, No land, hill or forest under the controlled and within the jurisdiction of the Council shall be acquired or transferred by the Government without consultation with or the consent of the Council.
c) The Parishad may supervise and control the works of the Headmen, Chainmen, Amins, Surveyors, Kanungos and Assistant Commissioner (land).
d) The reclaimed fringe lands of Kaptai Lake shall be leased out on priority basis to the original owners.
27. Section 65 shall be amended and formulated as follows: “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the responsibility of collecting the Land Development Tax of the district shall rest in the hands of the Council and the collected tax of the district shall be deposited in the fund of the Council.”
28. Section 67 shall be amended and formulated as follows: “in the event of necessity for harmonization of the works of the Council and the Governmental authorities, the Government or the Council shall raise proposals on specific subject and the harmonization of the works shall be effected through mutual communications between the Government and Council”.
29. Sub-section (1) of Section 68 shall be amended and formulated as follows: “With a view to carrying out the purposes of this Act, the Government may, upon consultation with the Council, make Rules through Notification in the Government official Gazette and the Council shall have a rights to apply to the Government for review of the said Rules even after they are already made”.
30. a) The words “with prior approval of the Government” in the first and second lines of Sub-section (1) of Section 69 shall be repealed and after the words “may make” in the third line the following proviso shall be added:
“Provided that if the Government does not agree with any part of the Regulations made, it shall be competent to give advice or directive to the Council towards amendments of the said regulations”.
b) The words “conferment of the powers of the Chairman on any officer of the Council” in clause (h) of sub-section (2) of Section 69 shall be deleted.
31. Section 70 shall be deleted.
32. Section 79 shall be amended and formulated as follows:
“If, in the opinion of the council, any law made by the National Parliament or any other authority as applicable to the hill district is one which creates hardship for the said district or is objectionable for the tribals, the Council may, upon stating the cause of hardship or abjection, apply to the Government in writing for amending or relaxating the application of such law and the Government may take remedial measures in accordance with such application”.
33. a) The word “discipline” appearing in Item No. 1 under the heading the activities of the
Council in the First Schedule shall be substituted by the word “supervision”.
b) In Item No. 3 of the Council’s activities, the following shall be added: “(1) Vocational education, (2) Primary education through mother tongue, (3) Secondary education”.
c) The words “reserved or” appearing in Clause 6(b) of the Council’s activities shall be deleted.
34. The following subjects shall be included in the functions and the responsibilities of the Hill District Council:
a) Land and land management;
b) Police (local);
c) Tribal law and social justice;
d) Youth welfare;
e) Environmental protection and development;
f) Local tourism;
g) Improvement Trust and other institutions concerning local administration, other than Municipality and Union Council;
h) Issuing license for local commerce and industries;
i) Proper utilization of rivers and streams, canals and Beels and irrigation system other than water resources of the Kaptai Lake;
j) Maintaining of the statistics of birth and deaths;
k) Wholesale business;
l) Jum cultivation.
35. The following items shall be added to the subjects for imposition of taxes, rates, tolls and fees by the Council as stated in the Second Schedule:
a) Registration fees of non-mechanical transports;
b) Tax on buying and selling of commodities;
c) Holding tax on lands and buildings;
d) Tax on selling of domestic animals;
e) Fees for community adjudication;
f) Holding tax on Government and Non-government industries;
g) A specified part of the royalty on forest resources;
h) Supplementary Tax on Cinema, Jatra and Circus;
i) Part of the royalty received by the Government against granting Licenses or Pattas for the exploitation of mineral resources;
j) Tax on business;
k) Tax on lottery;
l) Tax on catching Fish.
(C) CHIITAGONG HILL TRACTS REGIONAL COUNCIL:
1. Subject to amendment and addition of the various sections in the Parbatya Zilla Sthanio Sarkar Parishad Ayin, 1989 (Act IXX, XX and XXI of 1989) for purpose of making the Hill District Council more powerful and effective, a Regional Council will be formed comprising the Local Government Councils of three Hill Districts.
2. The elected Members of the Hill District Councils shall, by indirect mode, elect the Chairman of this Council whose status shall be equivalent to that of a State Minister and who shall be a tribal.
3. The Council shall consist of 22 (twenty-two) Members including the Chairman. Two third of the Members shall be elected from amongst the tribals. The Council shall determine the modality of its functioning.
The constitution of the Council shall be as follows:
-
- Chairman ————————— 1 person
-
- Member —————————- 12 persons
-
- Member (tribal female) ———— 2 persons
-
- Member —————————- 6 persons
- Member (non-tribal female) —— 1 person
Of the male tribal Members, 5 shall be elected from the Chakma tribe, 3 from the Marma tribe, 2 from Tripura tribe, 1 from the Murung and Tanchangya tribes and 1 person from amongst the Lusai, Bowm, Pankho, Khumi, Chak and Khiang tribes.
Of the male non-tribal Members, 2 persons shall be elected from each district.
Of the female tribal Members, 1 person shall be elected from the Chakma tribe and another from the rest of the tribes.
4. There shall be reserved 3 (three) seats for the women in the Council and one third (1/3) thereof shall be for the non-tribals.
5. The Members of the Council shall, by indirect mode, be elected by the elected Members of the three Hill District Councils. The Chairman of the three hill districts shall be ex-officio Members of the Council and they shall have right to vote. The qualification and disqualification of candidature for membership of the Council shall be similar to those of the Members of the Hill District Councils.
6. The tenure of office of the Council shall be 5 (five) years. The procedure and other matters regarding the preparation and approval of the budget of the Council, dissolution of the Council, framing of the Rules of the Council, appointment and control of the officers and employees, etc. shall be similar to the procedure and other matters as are applicable to the Hill District Councils.
7. There shall be the Council, a Chief Executive Officer of the rank equivalent to that of a Joint Secretary to the Government and the tribal candidate shall be given preference for appointment to this post.
8. a) If the post of Chairman of the Council falls vacant, one person from amongst the other
tribal members shall be, by indirect mode, elected Chairman for the interim period by the Members of the three Hill District Councils.
b) If the post of a Member of the Council falls vacant for any reason, it shall be filled up by by-election.
9. a) The Council shall coordinate all the development activities carried out by the three
Hill District Councils, and shall also superintend and harmonize all the affairs of and assigned to the three Hill District Councils. Besides, in the event of lack of harmony or any inconsistency being found in the discharge of responsibilities given to the three Hill District Councils, the decision of the Regional Council shall final.
b) This Council shall coordinate and supervise the Local Council, including the municipalities.
c) The Regional Council shall coordinate and supervise the three hill districts in matters of general administration, law and order and development.
d) The Council shall coordinate the activities of the NGOs in addition to disaster management and carrying out the relief programs.
e) Tribal law and community adjudication shall be within the jurisdiction of the Regional Council.
f) The Council shall be competent to grant License for heavy industries.
10. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board shall discharge the assigned duties under the general and overall supervision of the Council. The Government shall give preference to the eligible tribal candidates in appointing the Chairman of the Development Board.
11. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation of 1900 and other related Acts, Rules and Ordinances being found inconsistent with the Local Government Council Acts of 1989, it shall be removed by law as per advice and recommendations of the Regional Council.
12. Until the formation of the Regional Council through direct and indirect election, the Government shall be competent to constitute an interim Regional Council and to empower it to discharge the responsibilities of assignable to the Council.
13. In making any law in connection with Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Government shall enact such law in consultation with and as per advice of the Regional Council. If it becomes necessary to amend any law which bears an adverse effect on the development of the three hill districts and welfare of the tribal people or to enact new law, the Council shall be competent to apply or submit recommendations to the Government.
14. The sources of the Council Fund shall be as follows:
a) Money received from the District Council Fund;
b) Money or profits received from all the properties vested in or managed by the Council;
c) Loans and grants from the Government and other authorities;
d) Grants given by any institution or person;
e) Profits earned from the investments of the Council Fund;
f) Any money received by the Council;
g) Money received from other sources provided to the Council as per direction of the Government.
(D) REHABILITATION, GENERAL AMNESTY AND OTHER MATTERS:
In order to restore normalcy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region and, to that end, in respect of the works and matters of rehabilitation, general amnesty and allied issues, both the parties have been arrived at the following consensus and agreed to undertake programs as follows:
1. With a view to bringing the tribal refugees staying in the Tripura State of India back to the country, an agreement was signed on the 9th day of March,’97 at Agartala of Tripura State between the Government and the Leaders of tribal refugees. In pursuance of that Agreement, the tribal refugees started coming back to the country since 28th day of March,’97. This process shall remain un-hindered and to that end all possible cooperation shall be given from the end of the Jana Samhati Samiti. After ascertaining the identity of the Internally Displaced Persons of the three hill districts, rehabilitation measures shall be undertaken through a Task Force.
2. After the signing the Agreement between the Government and the Jana Samhati Samiti and implementation thereof and rehabilitation of the tribal refugees and internally displaced tribals, the Government shall, as soon as possible, commence, in consultation with the Regional Council to the constituted under this Agreement, the Land Survey in Chittagong Hill Tracts and finally determine the land-ownership of the tribal people through settling the land-disputes on proper verification and shall record theirs land and ensure their rights thereto.
3. In order to ensure the land-ownership of tribal families having no land or lands below 2 (two) acres, the Government shall, subject to availability of land in the locality, ensure settling 2 (two) acres of land per family. In the event of non-availability of required land, grove-lands shall be tapped.
4. A Commission (Land Commission) shall be constituted under the leadership of a retired Justice for settlement of disputes regarding lands and premises. This Commission shall, in addition to early disposal of land disputes of the rehabilitated refugees, have full authority to annul the rights of ownership of those hills and lands which have been illegally settled and in respect of which illegal dispossession has taken place. No appeal shall be maintainable against the judgement of this Commission and the decision of this Commission shall be deemed to be final. This provision shall be applicable in case of Fringe-lands.
5. This Commission shall be constituted with the following Members:
a) Retired Justice;
b) Circle Chief (concerned)
c) Chairman/Representative of the Regional Council;
d) Divisional Commissioner/Additional Commissioner;
e) Chairman of the District Council (concerned).
6. a) The tenure of office of the Commission shall be three years. But its tenure shall be extendible in consultation with the Regional Council.
b) The Commission shall resolve the disputes in consonance with the law, custom and practice in force in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
7. The loans which were taken by the tribal refugees from Government agencies, but could not be properly utilized on account of the state of belligerency, shall be remitted along with interest.
8. Land allocation for rubber and other plantation: Out of the lands allotted to non-tribal and non-local persons for rubber and other plantations, the lease (allocation) in respect of the lands of those who did not undertake any project during the last ten years or did not properly utilize the lands shall be cancelled.
9. The Government shall allocate additional finance on priority basis for the implementation of increased number of projects towards developments in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Government shall implement new Project on priority basis for the construction of required infrastructure for the development of the region and shall allocate necessary finance to this end. Keeping in view the environment of this region, the Government shall encourage the development of tourism facilities for the tourists, indigenous and foreign.
10. Quota reservation and stipend grant: The Government shall maintain the quota system for the tribals in respect of government service and in institutions for higher studies until their attainment of parity with other regions of the country. To the aforesaid end, the Government shall grant increased number of stipends for the tribal male and female students in the educational institutions. The Government shall provide necessary scholarships for higher education and research in foreign countries.
11. The Government and the Elected Representatives shall strive to uphold the characteristics of tribal creed and culture. The Government shall patronize and help the cultural activities of the tribes towards their efflorescence at national level.
12. The Jana Samhati Samiti shall, within 45 (forty five) days of the signing of this Agreement, submit lists of all its members to the Government including the armed ones, and the particulars of arms and ammunitions in its possession and within its control.
13. The Government and the Jana Samhati Samiti shall, within 45 (forty-five) days of the signing of this Agreement, jointly determine the date, time and place for deposit of arms. After the determination of the date and place for deposit of arms and ammunitions of the listed members of Jana Samhati Samiti, all sorts of security shall be provided for the return of the members of Jana Samhati Samiti as per list also of their family members to normal life.
14. The Government shall declare amnesty for those members who will deposit arms and ammunitions on the scheduled date. The Government shall withdraw all those cases which were lodged against them.
15. In the event of any person’s failing to deposit arms within the specified time limit, the Government shall take legal action against such a person.
16. A general amnesty shall be given to all the members of the Jana Samhati Samiti after their return to normal life and a general amnesty shall also be given to all the permanent inhabitants connected with the activities of the Jana Samhati Samiti.
a) For the purpose of rehabilitating the returning members of the Jana Samhati Samiti, Taka 50,000/00 per family shall be given at a time.
b) After deposit of arms and return to normal life of all such members, including the armed ones, of the Jana Samhati Samiti against whom cases were filed, warrants of arrest were issued, ‘hulias’ were published or sentence was given on trial in absentia, as against them all cases shall be withdrawn, warrants of arrest and ‘hulias’ shall be called back and sentence given in absentia shall be remitted as early as possible. If any member of the Jana Samhati Samiti is in Jail, he too shall be set at liberty.
c) Similarly, after deposit of arms and return to normal life, no case shall be filed against or punishment be given to or arrest be made of any person merely on account of his/her being a member of the Jana Samhati Samiti.
d) The loans which were taken by such members of the Jana Samhati Samiti from Government Banks and Establishments, who could not have utilized such loan properly on account of the state of belligerency, shall be remitted with interest.
e) Those of the returned members of the Jana Samhati Samiti, who were previously in the service of the Government or of government organizations shall be reinstated to their respective posts and the members of the Jana Samhati Samiti and members of their families shall be given employment in accordance with their qualification. In this respect, government policy regarding relaxation of age-bar for them shall be followed.
f) Priority shall be given to the members of the Jana Samhati Samiti in giving bank loans on simple terms with a view to helping their self-employment generating activities such as cottage industries, horticulture, etc.
g) Education facilities shall be provided to the children of the members of the Jana Samhati Samiti and their certificates obtained from foreign Boards academic Institutions shall be treated as valid.
17. a) After the signing and execution of the Agreement between the Government and the Jana Samhati Samiti and immediately after return of the members of Jana Samhati Samiti to normal life, all the temporary camps of the army, the Ansars and the Village Defence Party (VDP), excepting the Border Security Force (BDR) and permanent army establishment (being those three at the three district headquarters and those at Alikadam, Ruma and Dighinala), shall be taken back by phases from Chittagong Hill Tracts to permanent cantonments and the time-limit shall be fixed for its purpose. In case of deterioration of the law and order situation, in time of normal calamities and for similar other purposes, Army Forces may be deployed under the authority of the civil administration in adherence to Law and Rules as are applicable to all the other parts of the country. In this respect, the Regional Council may, in order to get the required or timely help make requests to the appropriate authority.
f) The lands and premises abandoned by the cantonments, the camps of the military and para-military forces shall be make over to their real owners or to the Hill District Councils.
18. Against all the posts of officers of all ranks and employees of different classes in government, semi-government, local government and autonomous bodies of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the permanent dwellers of the Chittagong Hill Tracts shall be appointed, subject to priority being given to the tribals. But, in case of non-availability of a qualified person among the permanent dwellers of Chittagong Hill Tracts for any post, appointment may be made to such post on deputation from the Government or for a definite period.
19. A ministry on Chittagong Hill Tracts shall be established on appointing a Minister from among the tribals. The following Advisory Committee shall be constituted to lend support to this Ministry:
1) The Minister on Chittagong Hill Tracts;
2) The Chairman/Representative, Regional Council;
3) The Chairman/Representative, Rangamati Hill District Council;
4) The Chairman/Representative, Khagrachari Hill District Council;
5) The Chairman/Representative, Bandarban Hill District Council;
6) The Member of the Parliament, Rangamati;
7) The Member of the Parliament, Khagrachari;
8) The Member of the Parliament, Bandarban;
9) The Chakma Raja
10) The Bohmong Raja
11) The Mong Raja
12) Three non-tribal Members nominated by the Government from amongst the permanent residents of the three hill districts.
This Agreement is prepared in the aforesaid manner in Bengali language and executed and signed in Dhaka on Agrahayan 18, 1404 corresponding to December 2, 1997.
On Behalf of the Government of the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Sd/Illegible
(Abul Hasanat Abdullah)
National Committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts,
Government of Bangladesh
On Behalf of the inhabitants of Chittagong Hill Tracts
Sd/Illegible
(Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma)
President,
Parbatya Chattgram Jana Samhati Samiti