Staff Correspondent, CHT News
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Vice President of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), Nuton Kumar Chakma, stated that the July National Charter 2025 does not reflect the aspirations of the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He remarked that this charter is nothing more than a political manifesto and electoral pledge for reforming the state system. According to him, such promises are frequently made by ruling political parties, but they are conveniently forgotten after winning elections.
In a statement given to the media today (Saturday, October 18, 2025), the UPDF leader made these remarks. He further said, “No fundamental positive change in the people’s fate can be achieved by merely polishing or reforming the exploitative and oppressive foundations on which the state of Bangladesh stands.”
Recalling how the UPDF and the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts were excluded in an authoritarian manner from the entire dialogue process under pressure from ultra-communal fascist groups—after the first round of dialogue with the National Consensus Commission—he said, “Any attempt at democratic reform is bound to fail if it denies the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts their right to self-determination or autonomy.”
Despite agreeing with many of the reform proposals included in the July National Charter, the UPDF leader made it clear that the party does not endorse the July National Charter 2025 because it fails to reflect the core aspirations of the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Notably, UPDF was among the parties that participated in the July–August uprising last year.
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