Nirmol Barua Milon :: CHTDB starts its journey since 1976. Before the CHT Peace Accord, majority of the time CHTDB was directed by the bureaucrats and the army persons. But after the peace accord which was signed in 2nd December, 1997, this organization got the chance to chair by the representatives of three hill districts Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban. Rangamati Hill Tracts is known as the heart among these three hill districts. The head office of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB), which was named in past as old court building, this is named now as Development Board area located in Rangamati but most of the time this organization was chaired by the representatives of Bandarban and Khagrachari Hill District. Since in 2013, when it came again under the management of bureaucrats, there was little to serve of political leaders without maintaining only cooperation with it.

But after a long period of time of 45 years, in the last 6 July, 2021, Nikhil Kumar Chakma, who is a political leader of Rangamati Hill Tracts, nominated as Chairman of CHTDB. According to Memorial No.- 05.00.0000.146.00.007.17.300, 6th July 2021, signed by Deputy Secretary Aliur Rahman, by the order of the President, through the notification, it was informed that Under the CHTDB law, Section 6 (2) to 2014, “Nikhil Kumar Chakma has been appointed as Secretary to the Government and Chairman of the CHT Development Board for the next 2 (two) years from the date of joining with financial benefits on condition that he relinquishes his working relationship with other institutions and organizations.”

After the appointment of Nikhil Kumar Chakma as the Secretary to the Chairman of the CHT Development Board, the long-standing anger of the locals, regardless of their party affiliation in the Rangamati Hill District, has begun to melt.Congratulations and gratitude had shown to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, government’s policy makers and central leaders of Bangladesh Awami League for appointing Nikhil Kumar Chakma as Secretary to the Chairman of the CHT Development Board, by making festoons, banners all over the in the city and CHT Development Board head office area. The people of Rangamati Hill District are overjoyed, despite the severe lockdown caused by the global pandemic coronavirus (Covid-19).

Yesterday, July 7, Wednesday, Nikhil Kumar Chakma submitted his joining letter to Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushaisingh MP. This information has been confirmed by the Acting Chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Ashish Kumar Barua (Joint Secretary).

Nikhil Kumar Chakma has been replaced by the Former Chairman of CHT Development Board, Nobo Bikram Kishor Tripura (former secretary), NDC.