Promotion of Development and Confidence Building in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Project

Project Budget: € 42 million

European Commission donation: € 23.5 million Implementing agency: UNDP / Ministry of Chittagong Hills Tracts Affairs

Aim: socio-economic development of Chittagong Hill Tracts and confidence building among communities towards a sustainable peace start: 1/1/05 end: 30/9/09

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region has the largest concentration of indigenous peoples in Bangladesh with eleven different communities: Bawm, Chak, Chakma, Khumi, Khyang, Lushai, Marma, Mro, Pankho, Tanchangya and Tripura amounting to approximately 736,682 people according to the 2001 census, or more or less half of the current total population in the CHT. Three decades of conflict and insurgency stemming from tensions between the mainstream society and the indigenous population severely affected the socio-economic development situation in the CHT, exacerbated by its geo-physical characteristics vis-à-vis the rest of Bangladesh.

UNDP’s programme for the ‘Promotion of Development and Confidence Building in the CHT’ which is supported by the European Commission through its financial and technical cooperation with Asian development countries, aims to improve the overall development situation for all peoples and communities throughout the region. It addresses:

• local Community Empowerment through small project activities funded by a Quick Impact Fund (coordinated and supported by local NGOs),

• region-wide economic and social opportunities

• institutional Capacity Development of the key CHT institutions, and

• specific Confidence Building initiatives.

In its implementation, UNDP is working closely with the main governmental institutions that are specifically set-up for development of the region, primarily the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MoCHTA), the CHT Regional Council (CHTRC or RC), the three Hill District Councils (HDC), the Traditional Circle Chiefs System, and the CHT Development Board (CHTDB).

The goal of this € 42 million project – the European Commission being its principal donor contributing so far with 7.5 million € (with 16 million € for the second phase) – is socio-economic development of Chittagong Hill Tracts and confidence building among communities towards a sustainable peace. Its overall strategy is to open new opportunities for development in the CHT generating employment and enhancing markets, promoting private sector investment, improving environment protection, and health and education services. All project activities are based on the principles of respect to and promotion of the rights, customs and traditions of the local peoples; ownership by local communities and institutions; participation; transparency and accountability; affirmative action; non-discrimination (inclusiveness); partnership; flexibility; gender equality; and sustainability.

The CHTDF actively facilitates the empowerment of poor indigenous communities: currently over 1600 communities scattered throughout the hills and comprising of at least 200-250,000 people, implement small scale projects funded by the Quick Impact Fund – so far over 2,4 Mio € have been disbursed under this scheme.

Furthermore, the programme has specific attention for safeguarding the traditional cultures, customs and ways of life of all the different indigenous communities, nonetheless with a specific focus on the minorities within the minority groups. One example is the component on recording and compiling ‘Local Tribal Histories’, including songs, dance and stories to prevent these from extinction, while the tribal culture in general is supported through the facilitation of documentation activities, analysis and promotion/dissemination in a positive vein of the different cultures. Additionally, for instance a curriculum review is undertaken to assess the validity of the current information on indigenous cultures as presented in textbooks, and subsequently to provide recommendations on how to improve it.

For more information, please contact the European Commission Delegation to Bangladesh