Rangamati, Aug 24 (V7N) — State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and Land Ministry Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin has called for stronger efforts to develop human resources and improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
He urged officials and stakeholders to uphold the people-oriented philosophy of late President Ziaur Rahman, who established the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board with the objective of improving the living standards of marginalised communities in the region.
“Let us not lose the philosophy with which Ziaur Rahman served the country. One of the key aspects of his thinking was to speak for the people and work for their welfare and development,” the state minister said.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at a certificate distribution ceremony in Rangamati on Sunday afternoon. The programme was organised under various schemes implemented by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board.
Certificates were distributed among trainees who completed ICT-related training, while multimedia equipment was handed over to educational institutions and sewing machines were distributed among women to support self-employment.
The state minister said the development of a nation cannot be achieved through infrastructure alone.
“Human resource development is essential for building a prosperous society. Training not only develops skills but also creates entrepreneurs,” he said, urging the authorities to introduce training on new and emerging subjects to create more entrepreneurs.
A total of 200 trainees from the three hill districts received certificates after completing training in various ICT fields, including graphic design, web development and audio-video editing.
The state minister stressed that the benefits of development should not be limited to any particular religion or community.
“The main objective of development should be to work for disadvantaged people whose living standards need to be improved,” he said.
“We want the living standards of disadvantaged people in this region to improve and their lives to become more secure and prosperous. We must work together for the development of the area, improvement of people’s livelihoods and overall prosperity,” he added.
Referring to Ziaur Rahman’s philosophy, Barrister Helal Uddin said, “The people of this country are its true owners. We are their servants. The government must work with the belief that the people are the real owners of the country.”
He further said genuine development could not be achieved through infrastructure projects alone. Sustainable development requires social and economic equality, improved living standards and the integration of disadvantaged communities into the mainstream of development.
The programme was chaired by Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Chairman Major General (Retd) Anup Kumar Chakma, NDC, PSC. Vice Chairman Abu Saleh, Board Member (Finance) Suman Barua, Member (Implementation) Zahid Iqbal, Rangamati Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdur Rakib, PPM, senior government officials, representatives of social organisations, political leaders and journalists were also present.
During the programme, certificates were handed over to trained participants, while multimedia equipment was distributed to educational institutions and sewing machines to women.
Later, the state minister inaugurated a watchtower constructed by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board at Rangamati Park, which is operated by the district administration. He subsequently visited the Rangamati Press Club and held a brief discussion with journalists.
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