5 October 2006
UPDF holds press conference in Chittagong
The party held a press conference at Chittagong Press Club to put forward a 7-point demands that it deems essential to holding free, fair and impartial elections in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The demands are as follows:
- To prepare a voter list in which only the permanent residents of the CHT can enroll, and to take measures to enable the settlers and members of the military and para-military forces to vote in their own constituencies in the plains land through postal service.
- To cease military activities at least three months before elections; to stop repression on innocent people including members of the UPDF in the name of Operation Uttoran; and to put an end to military interference in the administration.
- To stop grabbing of Jumma people’s land and to take stern action against those who carry out communal riots to grab land.
- To take special measures to take under-aged and fake voters off the updated voter’s list and add those who have been left out.
- To put an end to military interference in the election process; and to deploy police force only to provide protection to polling centres.
- To set up polling centres at convenient places to ensure that the people of remote hilly areas can cast their votes freely and with ease.
- To institute a semi-autonomous election commission for Chittagong Hill Tracts under the National Election Commission.
On 22 October, UPDF enforced a half-day roadblock in Khagrachari to press home its 7-point demands.
26-28 November 2006
UPDF convenes its first national congress:
11-member central committee formed, Prasit Khisha elected president
With its first national congress held in Dhaka, the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF) became a fully-fledged political party by all standards. About 1,200 party members, sympathizers, delegates and observers took part in the inaugural ceremony of the congress.
The delegates unanimously elected an 11-member central committee, with Prasit Khisha as president and Rabi Shankar Chakma as general secretary. The congress also endorsed the constitution, programmes, demands and organizational principles of the party. The other members of the central committee are Sachib Chakma, Rui Khoi Marma, Ananda Prakash Chakma, Ujjwal Smriti Chakma, Samari Chakma, Animesh Chakma, Dhrubo Jyoti Chakma, Dev Danta Tripura and Pradipan Khisha.