The tribes of Chakma, Magh, Marma and others, living in the hills, have been attempting to assert their rights to autonomous rule, understandably to the much chagrin of the governments.

For better administration the old district of Chittagong Hill Tracts was divided into three smaller districts--Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. It didn't, however, ease things.

The hill tracts comprise of vast arable lands, hill-blocked lakes, thick forest hills, and just barren lands. Paddy, fruits, fish, bamboo and timber are major commodities for trade, and, thus, economically, the area is potentially resourceful, compared to which the population of the tribal community is rather thin.

Acting on this perception, once it was felt that Bengalis from mainland could be sent there for settling. Thousands of Bengalis, people mainly from poorer areas such as the islands, ventured to travel into the hills, settle there, build houses, and start families and business. That probably exacerbated the wound of the tribal people who were already feeling downcast about so many things.

So they started an armed agitation to foil the process of settlement. The result was horrifying on all counts, and situation became unmanageable.

Finally there was a peace agreement between the government and the tribal people, which seemed to stem the agitation for a couple of years. But the hill leaders immediately protested that the peace agreement was not followed point by point, and they were the losers. So, the agitation returned, and things now in the hills look ominous. Now, what is the way?

In my humble opinion, to find out a solution we must take a path of compromise. We the Bengalis are the greater party, so we must be ready to sacrifice. Our first sacrifice should be that we must not presume that since the Bengalis and the tribal people are all Bangladeshis, therefore, we have the right to claim each and every acre of the land of Bangladesh as livable by us. It is one thing for the hill people to come to the plain land and start living here, but it is another thing for us to go into the hills and start living there.

The question of inalienable right to land does neither occur nor relate to land possession in the greater part of a country, but in the smaller tribal area the question is a vital one to reckon with.

For example, the Eskimos in Alaska may enjoy certain inalienable privileges over the snow-capped landmasses on which they live, but if the white Americans start regularly possessing their lands, then they would react.

Another way of finding a solution is to bring the three hill districts under a major network of development by planning to build roads, educational institutions, power stations, fisheries harbour, and tourist resorts.

This will create jobs in which the hill people may be engaged, which will in turn desist them from taking arms against their own Bengali brethren. The Bengalis already settled there should also see to it that from their side nothing is instigated as to block the way to peace.