Opinion
With his oath-taking on February 17 as the 11th Prime
Minister, Tarique Rahman’s government has begun its journey. Following his
party BNP’s two-thirds majority victory in the 13th National Parliamentary
Election held on February 12 under the interim government of Dr. Yunus, his
leadership has brought a new government to power. BNP also won the three
parliamentary seats in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). With an overwhelming
majority in Parliament, his government will face no obstacles in amending the
Constitution.
In his address to the nation on February 18 after
taking the oath, Tarique Rahman outlined three priorities of his government:
improving law and order, combating corruption, and restoring peace and
security. He stated, “Not party or political influence, nor coercion, but the
rule of law will be the final word in running the state.”
Regarding the kind of Bangladesh he envisions, he said
in his speech, “Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians—regardless of party,
opinion, religion, or ethnicity—whether living in the hills or the plains, this
country belongs to all of us. We want to transform this country into a safe
land for every citizen. Establishing a self-reliant, secure, humane, and
democratic Bangladesh is the goal of the BNP government.”
Tarique Rahman has also allocated ministerial
portfolios. He appointed Dipen Dewan as Minister of the Ministry of Chittagong
Hill Tracts Affairs, while also appointing Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin of
Chattogram as State Minister for the same ministry. This has raised
considerable suspicion and criticism. Many have questioned the logic of
appointing both a minister and a state minister to such a small ministry.
Widespread criticism has also been observed on social media.
BNP is no stranger to either the hill people or the
plains dwellers. The party’s founder, Ziaur Rahman, ruled for four years until
his assassination on May 30, 1981. Later, his wife Khaleda Zia served two terms
as Prime Minister, from 1991–1996 and 2001–2006. A few days after Tarique
Rahman’s return to the country, she passed away on December 30.
After 19 years out of power, BNP has returned to
governance through elections, and with Tarique Rahman elected Prime Minister,
Bangladesh has once again fallen into the old pattern of dynastic rule that has
persisted since independence, excluding interim and military governments.
In his speech, Tarique Rahman explicitly mentioned
both the “hills and the plains.” He wants to build a safe and democratic
Bangladesh for every citizen of both regions. His speech was undoubtedly
pleasing to the ear. But if he does not understand the differences between the
hills and the plains, then his speech will make no difference in the prevailing
political situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
What is the current situation in the CHT? Although
Hasina’s fascist rule ended after the mass uprising of 2024, long-standing
military-fascism in the hills continues to prevail. There is no democracy here;
under the name of “Operation Uttaran,” an undeclared military rule and control
persist. Sheikh Hasina did not personally govern the CHT; she left its
administration in the hands of the 24th Infantry Division in Chattogram. As a
result, the army’s word was final on CHT matters. Yet political problems can never
be solved through military force. Due to this flawed policy of the Hasina
government, peace has not returned to the hills in the 28 years since the
“historic Peace Accord” of 1997.
To restore lasting peace in the CHT, several initial
steps are essential.
First, full political authority must be established
over the army deployed in the CHT. Although Sheikh Hasina was Prime Minister in
name, she was effectively Prime Minister only of the plains; the hills remained
beyond her governance. She allowed the army to do as it pleased in the CHT or
adopted policies and decisions according to its directives. As a result, during
her tenure, numerous communal attacks, arson incidents, land grabs, and rapes
of indigenous women occurred in the hills. In the name of suppressing so-called
terrorism, armed vigilante groups were formed, creating extreme unrest and
anarchy.
Dr. Yunus’s interim government also followed in
Hasina’s footsteps. Therefore, during his 18-month tenure, the hills witnessed
several large-scale communal attacks.
This unrest in the hills must be calmed, and to do so,
Tarique Rahman’s government must first establish full control over the army. He
must become Prime Minister of the CHT as well. Like Hasina, he must not hand
over the governance of the CHT to any other force or agency.
Second, the CHT problem must be treated as a political
issue and addressed accordingly. In the past, attempts were made to resolve it
through military force, but that only made the problem more complex.
Third, a process must begin to correct the wrong
decisions of the past. Trying to solve a problem while leaving its root
mistakes intact will never succeed; instead, it will only layer new mistakes
upon old ones. The flawed decisions made in the 1970s and early 1980s, which
initiated and complicated the CHT crisis, now present a historic opportunity
for correction before Tarique Rahman’s government. If he fails to seize this
opportunity and instead creates new mistakes, history will not forgive him. The
cost of such errors will be borne by generations. Therefore, he must rise above
narrow politics and demonstrate statesmanlike foresight to rectify past wrongs
and remedy the long-standing injustices inflicted upon the people of the CHT.
At present, he alone in Bangladesh has the rare opportunity to show such moral
courage.
Fourth, arrangements must be made without delay for
elections to the three Hill District Councils and the Regional Council. The
District Councils have not seen any elections since 1989. For the past 31
years, every government has run these councils with party-appointed
individuals, depriving the general population of their right to elect their own
representatives.
In short, if a genuine democratic process is initiated
in the hills and steps are taken to correct past mistakes, a gentle breeze of
peace will gradually return. Tarique Rahman’s government must now take this
courageous first step. His rule in the hills must not only be based on law, but
on justice.
(23 February 2026)
-------