Two advisors exchange views on the development of Kaptai Lake

With the aim of utilizing the potential of Kaptai Lake to improve the fate of the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Touhid Hossain and Advisor to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Supradeep Chakma exchanged views in Rangamati on Friday afternoon. The two advisors took a speed boat from Bargi Lake Valley in Rangamati to Stadium Ghat in Rangamati via Shuvolong Jharna, Shuvolong Bazar and Rangamati city to inspect the beauty of Kaptai Lake. At that time, their wives, Rangamati District Council Chairman Krishibid Kajal Talukder, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Konkan Chakma, Rangamati Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and other officials were present. Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Touhid Hossain said, “The beauty of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is the hills and Kaptai Lake. This lake can play an important role in the socio-economic development of the people of the hilly region. Kaptai Lake should be developed to be suitable for fish farming, so that the people living on the banks are not deprived of its benefits.” Advisor to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Supradeep Chakma said, “We should forget the damage caused to the people of the hilly region due to the Kaptai Dam in 1960 and utilize the immense potential of Kaptai Lake. This lake is a valuable resource like gold, which will help change the fate of the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.” He also said, “The government is working to protect the rights of all communities and build a non-communal Bangladesh. The country is moving forward with the determination to build a self-respecting Bangladesh by uniting the hilly and Bengali people in the bond of harmony.” Advisor Supradeep Chakma said the current government has opened all doors for development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The hill people are lagging behind in the development of the agriculture department, which needs to be changed. “We don’t want to be left behind anymore, we want to be connected to the mainstream of the country,” he said.