C T Online Desk: There has been too much bloodshed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and it needs to stop, Adviser for Jute and Textile and Shipping ministries Brigadier General (retd) Sakhawat Hossain has said.
“Many are fueling unrest in the hills, and this incitement must be countered regionally. Living together peacefully is essential, and this is not just the government’s responsibility but also society’s. If harmony cannot be maintained among the 14 communities, it will harm everyone.”
The adviser made the comments on Sunday, responding to journalists’ questions during a stopover at Barisal Marine Academy.
Calling for peace in the hill regions, he added: “There are 14 communities living in the hills, including Bangalees. To maintain harmony among them, we need to understand the suffering and pain of the people belonging to the ethnic minority groups. Without fostering a cordial regional environment, this problem will persist.”
Highlighting corruption in the previous government, M Sakhawat Hossain said: “In the two ministries under my purview, there has not been just ‘sea-level theft’ but ‘ocean-level theft.’ The government that was in power for the last 15 years turned the entire system into one of corruption.
“They have completely destroyed the Jute ministry, and I am trying to rebuild it. Solving 15 years of corruption is not possible in one or two years. It will take time to recover.”
Speaking about the Marine Academy students, Sakhawat Hossain said: “Efforts are being made to increase job quotas for graduates of the Marine Academy on the international stage. We are trying to create more positions in Dubai and Singapore.”
