300 ethnic minority women to get free midwifery training in CHT; Bengalis decry exclusion 

STAFF CORRESPONDENT, KHAGRACHHARI

A UN-funded initiative to train 300 ethnic minority women as midwives in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has sparked controversy, with Bengali residents alleging systemic exclusion.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA)-funded three-year Diploma in Midwifery aims to reduce maternal and child mortality in the CHT districts of Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban.

However, a March 2 circular from the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery restricts eligibility to women from “small ethnic groups” in the CHT, drawing criticism from Bengali communities.

Bengali organisations argue that the exclusion disregards the needs of Bengali women, who form a significant part of the region’s population.

Alamgir Kabir, Central Secretary General of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens’ Council, urged authorities to include Bengali women to ensure the program’s success.

“Limiting opportunities to certain communities is discriminatory,” he said.