Land Dispute Settlement: A Key Issue to Ensure Long-lasting Peace in Chattogram Hill Tracts

Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) constitutes nearly 10% of the total landmass of Bangladesh. Extremely beautiful, yet this part of Bangladesh was ravaged by almost 27 years of insurgency. It indeed came to a formal end with the signing of the historic Peace Agreement between the Government of Bangladesh and Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) on 02 December 1997. So far, 48 out of the 72 clauses have already been implemented and the rest are in the process. The land issue is one of the major issues that have beset the progress of the agreement. Most communal clashes and unwanted situations usually erupt from disputes over the possession of the land. To settle the land disputes, a commission was formed…