Amid growing discussion and speculation surrounding his resignation as Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister, BNP Central Assistant Religious Affairs Secretary and MP from Rangamati-299 Dipen Dewan on Tuesday broke his silence on the issue and reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
In a statement posted on his official Facebook profile, addressing the people of the three hill districts, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, Dewan said he was fully aware of the emotions, concerns and reactions generated among various sections of society following his resignation from the ministerial post.
Extending greetings to the people of the region in different languages, he urged all communities in the CHT to remain calm, patient and committed to maintaining law and order as well as communal harmony.
“I sincerely call upon all indigenous, Bengali and other communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to remain peaceful, exercise patience and uphold harmony. Please do not be misled by any provocation, confusion or conflict. Let us preserve an atmosphere of mutual respect, compassion and goodwill,” he said.
Dewan said the Chittagong Hill Tracts belong to all its inhabitants and that safeguarding the region’s development, stability and peace is a shared responsibility.
“I hope that fraternity, harmony and mutual trust among all people, regardless of ethnic identity, will grow stronger,” he added.
Recalling his family’s political legacy, Dewan said his father had served as an adviser to former President Ziaur Rahman.
“The ideals, patriotism and commitment to public welfare demonstrated by former President Ziaur Rahman have been a source of inspiration in my political life,” he said.
Dewan said he joined BNP under the leadership and guidance of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and had remained a dedicated party activist throughout his political career.
“I want to state clearly that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is the home of my political ideals. I wish to dedicate the rest of my life to this beloved party, its ideals and the welfare of the people,” he said.
“Under any personal or political circumstances, my loyalty and commitment to the party will remain unchanged. I will never leave this party,” he added.
Dewan stressed that public welfare should always take precedence over individual interests and again called upon the people of the hill districts to remain united for the sake of peace, harmony and development.
“There may be differences of opinion, but there should be no division; there may be competition, but there should be no conflict,” he said.
He expressed hope that all communities in the three hill districts would continue to live peacefully, benefit from development and help transform the region into a model of harmony, stability and peace.
Concluding his statement, Dewan expressed full confidence in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership and said he wanted to contribute to building a new Bangladesh under his guidance.
“I am fully confident in the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and want to move forward under his leadership in building a new Bangladesh,” he said.
“I once again declare in a firm voice that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is my final destination.”
Dewan submitted his resignation from the post of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister on June 1, citing physical illness as the reason. His resignation has since sparked discussion and speculation in political circles.