People in this hill district not only condemn kidnapping of the three foreigners but also oppose paying ransom and applying force to free the hostages.

While talking to these correspondents, they alleged that criminal activities have increased since the signing of CHT peace accord between the government and the Shantibahini in 1997 and criticised the authorities here for 'failure' to check this trend. Incidents of abduction for ransom, robbery and extortion have increased alarmingly, they said.

Former regional director of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Nirmalendu Tripura said people from all walks of life in this region

have condemned abduction of the foreigners who came here to help development of the area.

"Applying force could cause harm to the hostages. Local leaders must be involved in the process of reaching a negotiated settlement for release of the three engineers." he said.

Tripura said more than three years after the signing of peace accord, peace is yet to be established in the Q IT region.

A number of people said the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road has been a den for criminals for more than three years.

They mentioned that the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachhari was stopped by gunmen on his way to Rangamati and local MP Dipankar Talukdar was stopped by some miscreants on the same road last year. Both the DC and the MP were allowed to go unharmed but ordinary citizens are frequently subjected to various terrorist activities. They further said that since long, they were apprehending “some-thingserious’ such as the abduction of foreigners.

Charu BikashChakma.a73-year-old tribal leader and former convenor of Tribal (convention, said that Chairman of the CHI Regional

Council Shantu Larma should have been involved in the process of negotiations for release of the hostages.

He thought that confrontation between the Jana Sangbati Samity (JSS) led by Lanna and the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) has taken a serious turn since the peace accord was signed. UPDF opposes the accord.

Charu Bikashwent on. "If there is an army action, it would endanger the lives of not only the hostages but also of innocent tribal people."

President of Rangamati Chamber of Commerce Kazi Nazrui Islam said businessmen have been the worst sufferers due to deteriorat -inglawand order in the region.

There are both political and economic reasons behind abduction of the foreigners, he said. The incident is a threat to the peace accord and ransom should not be paid for release of the hostages."

Bhabo Shanti Khisha, a Milage leader of Nimna Kingal in Kalapahar area, where the abductors are believed to have kept the hostages, said the incident has created panic in the area. There was never any problem involving foreigners in (his region and the kidnappers have caused a big damage to reputation ol the tribal people, he added.