The United Nations Development Programme and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have been working in the region for more than 15 years.

UNDP has supported regional institutions and community groups, engaging with local NGOs to roll out community-centred development activities. The ADB has leveraged its infrastructure development experience, diversifying community-based income generation opportunities and strengthening the capacity of local government institutions.

Last year, UNDP and ADB brought together their key strengths: UNDP’s expertise in community development and engagement, and ADB’s in infrastructure and economic development, for a community development initiative in the Chittagong Hill Tracts .

Under the administrative agreement, ADB will provide $471,000 to UNDP to support skills training of neighbourhood groups, with a focus on community asset and financial management, leadership and participatory monitoring and planning.

UNDP has been working with the Government of Bangladesh and Regional Councils though the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility (CHTDF) to implement projects that support victims of violence, raise awareness of social issues, mitigate conflict and promote confidence-building in the post-conflict region.

Through the Development Facility’s work

over 20,000 children have gained access to quality education and multi-lingual and mother tongue education has been introduced in over 130 schools.
Police capacity has been increased with more than 280 indigenous police personnel with training on regional sensitivities transferred to the CHT districts and information flow between agencies has been strengthened enabling the law enforcement personnel to react quickly on potential conflicts.
Further, by engaging youth in sports activities, the CHTDF is supporting unity and confidence building across ethnicities in the region.
The Local Volunteer Mediators’ Forum, a group of 252 trained volunteers from across the region and from different ethnic groups, proactively promote conflict conciliation, positive dialogues, and prevention of violence.

“We mediate in the conflicting situation so that parties are reaching a win-win outcome, and no one feels like the loser,” says Nigar Sultana, one of the Local Mediators. “In doing so conflict is removed and community bondage become stronger. In doing so we are closer to peace.”

With the support from the Local Mediators, increasing number of disagreements are resolved without violent encounters.

In CHT, UNDP continues to work in the region supporting host communities affected by the Rohingya influx, building climate resilience and increasing food security and together with the new project with ADB, continues to support sustainable development in the region.

“After we reach this project’s goals,” says Prasenjit Chakma, the project manager, “we can scale up and reach more communities in the hill tracts.”

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