The National Citizen Party (NCP) has protested the appointment of chairmen and members to interim councils in the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts—Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban—formed on August 20. In a Wednesday statement signed by office cell member Sadia Farzana Dina on behalf of its central convening committee, the party demanded the dissolution of the current councils and immediate direct, free elections.

The NCP alleged that the councils effectively lack representation from political views, social forces and people outside political identities other than the BNP. It said such one-sided political representation raises questions about the councils’ neutrality, inclusiveness and public trust. The party argued that hill district councils are public institutions, not organisational bodies of any political party, and warned that excessive politicisation could obstruct development and deepen discrimination and distrust.

The statement said that although the Hill District Council Act was enacted in 1989 and an election was held that year, the institutions have long been run through government-appointed or interim councils rather than regular direct elections. Until elections are held, the NCP called for any interim arrangement to ensure competence, neutrality and participation by different ethnic groups instead of party loyalty.