The Repatriation, Reintegration and Rehabilitation of Chakma Refugees in Bangladesh: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper is a case study of Chakma refugees/returnees in Bangladesh. It briefly traces the origin of crisis of Chakmas in the pre-Bangladesh period, how they have become IDPs and later on refugees and their plight and experiences in various refugee camps in India for a couple of decades and their repatriation processes. There is particular analysis of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord of 1997 which brought an end to the decades old insurgency in the CHTs within the framework of the Constitution. The accord is expected to reverse the disturb condition, insurgencies and serious human right violation in the CHTs and is supposed to assure hill peoples that their human rights would be protected. The paper analyses the issues and provisions of the Accord and its implementation status at length. It also looks beyond the Accord and study the anti-Accord activities, human rights violations and various development activities taken by the Bangladesh government and the present situation and if the Accord has brought any positive change in the sovereignty of the CHTs in particular and in the country as a whole. The paper concludes that the CHTs Peace Accord which most important aspect relates to measures for creating peace and security in the CHTs and which was believed to be a turning point for the Chakma refugees brought only ray of hopes which is fading away as each day passes as the provisions of the Accord have not been effectively implemented or partially implemented even after a decade of signing of the Accord.