ZCZC
BSS-05
COMMUNICATION-CHT
Improved road communication changes lifestyle in CHT
By Sahidul Islam Rana, back from Khagrachhari
DHAKA, Oct 30, 2018 (BSS) – Lifestyle of hill people has changed a lot as
the incumbent government implemented various development projects, including
schemes in the road communication sector, in Chattogram hill tracts (CHT) in
the last 10 years.
“Due to construction of asphalt roads and huge infrastructural development
, the life has become easier and comfortable here than in the past, ” Jhum
cultivator Atul Chakma, an inhabitant of Machalong area of Baghai upazila of
Khagrachhari, told BSS.
The tribal villager said for being a remote and inaccessible hill region
plagued with insurgent terror groups people were afraid of visiting the CHT
comprising the district of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban.
But at present, the scenario has changed dramatically as a result of
pragmatic steps taken by the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
he added.
Atul said very confidently, “I, along with some other farmers, go to
Khagrachahri town early morning to sell banana, pineapple, orange and mango
and other products and return home in the afternoon every day. This has
become possible due to good road links.”
He added: “Due to the concrete roads, many vehicles especially locally
made Chander Gari (four-wheeler) plies the Chattogram-Khagracchari,
Khgarachhari-Rangamati road. People of the area use this mode of
transportation to go Khagrachhari town or Rangamati.”
Shantimoy Chakama 28, the driver of a four-wheeler, talked to this
correspondent in front of Munigram High School of Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila.
He said the lifestyle of the people has changed due to the concrete roads.
One Congu Marma, 62, a two-time elected councilor of Ward No-1 under 5 No
Bhaibonchhara Union Parishad, said it was very tough to go to the town or any
other places before 2007 by road, but it is possible at present.
“Now many things are OK. We got concrete roads, new schools, community
clinics, supply of hygienic water, solar panel alternative of electricity and
sanitary latrine system,” he said also expressing his satisfaction over
different development activities in hills.
Lal Thnaga Lusai, headman of 167 Lusia mouja, who runs a resort business
near the Sajek Tourism spot in Rangamti, said, “At present the hill districts
are not lagging behind due to pragmatic steps of the present administration.
Improved road communications have made life easier.”
We can go to Khagrachhari by road within a few hours, the headman said
adding that they can sell their products to Chartrogram and Khagrachhari
markets without any hindrance.
Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways of Khagrachhari Sakil Mahmud
Faisal said, “After the CHT peace accord some 108 kilometers of road were
expanded in the region. A total of 31 bridges were constructed since 2007
whereas the number of such structures was only two in the past.”
Terming the Bailey bridges the main problem of road communication in hill
districts, he said, “In Khagrachhari area, work on turning all the 43 bailey
bridges into permanent concrete bridges is going on.”
Talking to BSS, Kujendra Lal Tripura, MP, of Khagrachhari-298
constituency, said, “People of Khagrachhari as well as the hill areas are
witnessing different progress and time-befitting infrastructural development
under this government.”
The lawmaker said in the road communication sector the post 1997
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord situation is totally different from
that of the past.
He said it used to take four to five hours to reach Khagrachhari from
Chattogram earlier, but it needs only two-and-a-half an hour at present to
travel the two district headquarters through Hathazari-Nazirhat due to newly
constructed roads.
The life in the hill regions has almost changed due to massive development
projects taken by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
he added.
BSS/ASG/SIR/AKM 1338hrs