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Meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs has sought comprehensive records on suspected irregularities and financial corruption committed within the ministry and its subordinate bodies during the tenures of the previous Awami League government and the subsequent interim administration. During a meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday (November 5), the parliamentary watchdog also asked the ministry to submit a comprehensive report detailing the punitive and administrative actions taken against those involved at its next scheduled sitting.
Presided over by committee chairman Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, the meeting placed strong emphasis on curbing rampant irregularities in the allocation and distribution of ration cards among rehabilitated refugees and non-tribal inhabitants residing in cluster villages (guchhagram) across the hill tracts. The committee recommended that the ministry immediately implement rigorous verification measures to identify genuine beneficiaries and eliminate fraudulent cards. Additionally, the parliamentary body directed the ministry to furnish a detailed status report at the next meeting regarding existing vacancies across its departments and the recruitment drives initiated to fill those posts.
The parliamentary watchdog also examined rehabilitation measures taken by the ministry to support individuals affected by recent unrest and damage in the Sajek region, instructing officials to present an exhaustive briefing on relief efforts at the upcoming session. Taking into account the soaring cost of living, the committee recommended restoring and enhancing the honoraria of grassroots community workers (Para workers) engaged under the Sustainable Social Services in CHT project to a dignified level following past reductions.
Broader fiscal and operational matters were also reviewed during the proceedings, including the equitable distribution of budget allocations for the current fiscal year, prevention of food grain pilferage, expenditure plans, and the pace of ongoing development infrastructure projects. The standing committee finalized plans to conduct on-site inspection tours of the hill region in December and convene joint consultative meetings with the three Hill District Councils, the CHT Regional Council, and the CHT Development Board. The session was attended by Minister for CHT Affairs Saching Pru, alongside committee members Mostafa Kamal Pasha, Dipen Dewan, Shahjahan Chowdhury, Mohammad Zahirul Islam, and Masum Mostafa.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/national/1f1d93bf-e16c-6900-8cdd-fa8a975bb507