In a sharp and pointed critique of the institutional power dynamics in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, the Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), asserted that the key to establishing lasting peace and securing the rights of indigenous communities lies fundamentally with the Bangladesh Army, rather than the civilian government. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday (December 2, 2025) in Dhaka, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated unequivocally, "I believe the main key to establishing peace in the Hill Tracts is in the hands of the Army. The Hill Tracts region is under the authority of the Bangladesh Army. They (the Army) alone can establish peace."The TIB executive director’s comments were made during the release of a research report titled, 'Inclusion of Indigenous Communities in Social Safety Net Programs: Governance Challenges and Ways to Overcome'. The event, held at the Midas Building in Dhanmondi, also highlighted the severe systemic exclusion faced by indigenous peoples in state welfare initiatives.

Alarming Data on Social Security Exclusion

The research, presented by Research Fellow Razia Sultana, revealed a distressing reality: across the five major social safety net programs in Bangladesh, the average inclusion rate for eligible indigenous applicants stands at a mere 19.7 percent. This means only one out of every five eligible indigenous individuals is benefiting from these critical social security schemes.

The disparity is stark across specific programs:

• Old Age Allowance: 52.1% applied, but only 21.2% were selected.

• Widow and Destitute Women's Allowance: 33.3% applied, only 12% selected.

• Disability Allowance/Stipend: 57.5% applied, 31.6% selected.

• Maternal and Child Support Allowance: 30.5% applied, 21.5% selected.

• Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) Card: 25.1% applied, only 12.4% selected.

TIB's analysis shows that despite indigenous people experiencing higher rates of poverty compared to the national average, they are not adequately prioritized in the social security system. The core barriers identified include a lack of indigenous-friendly instructions in laws and policies, complexities in application processes and documentation, absence of indigenous voices in policy formulation and budget processes, information constraints, linguistic barriers, and reluctance to use the complaint mechanism. For plains-dwelling indigenous communities, limited program awareness, weak representation, and deficits in education and technological capacity are major hurdles. In the CHT, the lack of separate programs, geographical remoteness, language issues, information deficits, and capacity gaps among relevant authorities further depress inclusion rates.Dr. Iftekharuzzaman emphasized that the greatest hurdle to inclusion is the failure to prioritize indigenous people as a poor and marginalized group. He concluded that the findings reveal an "alarming picture" concerning transparency, accountability, good governance, corruption, and irregularities, issues which are deeply institutionalized in Bangladesh but are magnified for the "most marginalized of the marginalized," the indigenous communities.

The Army's Unanswered Question

Responding directly to journalists' questions, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman escalated his direct appeal to the Army. He recalled recent public statements where TIB had specifically and formally notified the government that "now is the time for them (the Army) to stand in front of the mirror and examine themselves."He lauded the Bangladesh Army's globally recognized success in peacekeeping missions, noting their "glorious role" in 169 countries and their significant, internationally acclaimed contributions currently in at least ten countries. This success, he argued, highlights an inexplicable failure in their own backyard: "Why will the Bangladesh Army not be able to establish peace in a region under their authority (the Chittagong Hill Tracts)? The Army itself must answer that question."

The TIB Chief firmly believes that the Army has the capability and capacity to initiate peace on its own terms, without necessarily depending on government support. He stressed that if the Army has the political will ("sadi-chha"), it is possible to implement every single clause of the CHT Peace Accord. He lamented that neither previous governments nor the "most authoritative government in history" that ruled for the last 15 years were able to achieve this.Dr. Iftekharuzzaman concluded by referencing the first address to the nation by the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, who used the term 'indigenous' (Adivasi). He urged the Army to seize the moment, utilizing their existing capability to genuinely establish peace in the CHT, thereby setting a positive example both nationally and internationally. The power to create peace, he maintains, rests with the military, and they must now demonstrate that capacity.