Former Chakma chief may return to Bangladesh, The Hindu, 30 December 2002

Former Chakma chief may return to Bangladesh

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA Dec. 29. The former Chakma chief, `Raja' Tridib Roy, is likely to return home reportedly to mobilise his people against the Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), the tribal organisation that signed the 1997 peace accord with the Government after two decades of bush war.

Mr. Roy, father of incumbent Chakma chief, Debashish Roy, is in self-exile in Pakistan since 1971, since the former East Pakistan became independent. He did not return home during the last 31 years, as he was known as a ``Pakistani collaborator''. The forgotten raja may be coming home in February next, some tribal sources were quoted by an influential daily as saying.

Frequent gunfights between activists of the PCJSS and anti-peace accord United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) have angered the tribal elites and the common residents. The ruling BNP-Jamaat was also seriously against the accord.

The situation in the CHT has prompted some quarters to launch a movement for a third front in the hills to restore peace in the region. B.K. Dewan, former adviser to Ershad government on CHT affairs, said, ``Raja Tridib Roy is supposed to arrive here on a visit to attend a ceremony to declare his grandson as prince.'' ``There is no embargo from the Government'' on his return.

A senior government official in CHTtold a daily that tribal leaders unhappy with PCJSS were discussing ``internally'' to involve Mr. Roy in CHT politics.

Raja Debashish Roy said his father might visit Bangladesh ``any time in future''. But, ``he has no intention at all to get involved in any political activity ''. Mr. Debashish said he visited Pakistan one and a half years ago to meet his father.

Mr. Tridib Roy was the Pakistani envoy in several countries after independence of Bangladesh as he was all along loyal to successive Pakistani regimes.