The authority of ten more government offices and departments in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) under different ministries were handed over yesterday to each of the CHT District Councils in line with the 1997 peace accord.
With this, the total number of such offices rises to 21 in Bandarban, 22 in Khagrachhari and 23 in Rangamati -- out of total 33 offices.
The programme took place at the Jatiya Sangsad in presence of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, convener of the CHT peace accord implementation committee.
The offices are: health engineering directorate under health and family welfare ministry in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari; Bangladesh Agriculture Extension Department in the three districts; Cotton Development Board in Khagrachhari zone; Ramgarh Hatchery Farm under fisheries and livestock ministry; and Government Child Home under social welfare ministry in Bandarban and Khagrachhari.
The peace treaty was signed on December 2, 1997 by the then Awami League government and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity. It says the authority of 33 government departments and offices will have to be handed over to the CHT District Councils.
Briefing reporters at the media centre, CHT Affairs Minister Dipankar Talukder claimed that 48 sections out of total 72 in the treaty had completely been materialised till January this year. He hoped that the others could be executed within a year.