This was revealed at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts held at Sangsad Bhaban yesterday with its Chairman Mosharraf Hossain, MP in the chair.

The committee members expressed their concern over having no protection in the hilly border areas. The Committee Chairman told The New nation that the meeting asked the ministry concerned to take necessary measures to set up 58 Border Out Posts (BOTs) in the unprotected border areas immediately.

Referring to the recent recovery of modern arms and equipment, Mosharraf Hossain said according to the observation of the committee members these arms seem to be brought from the unprotected border areas.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Hill Tracts Moni Swapan Dewan told newsmen that the situation of the hill districts should be dangerous if the outlawed JMB cadres built their hideouts in the unprotected hilly areas.

"Then, the army might not be able to deal with them," he apprehended.

He said the committee asked the ministry concerned to continue rationing for the non-tribal refugees in the hill districts and take measures to make them self-dependent.

The meeting also of the opinion to settle the tribal who left their homes earlier, he said.

Sources said the meeting discussed the overall development of the hill districts and emphasized the need to ensure balanced development in the hilly districts.

According to sources the meeting was apprised that over Tk 700 crore would be spent for the development of the hill tracts during the next 5 to 7 years.

The finance will come from the UNDP, ADP and GOB sectors.

Among others, the meeting was also attended by Shahjahan Chowdhury and Mostafa Kamal of BNP, Mujibur Rahman of Jatiya Party and Shahjahan Chowdhury of Jamaat.

Source: The New Nation