STAFF REPORTER || Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister and Bandarban prince Saching Prue Jerry, MP, has said that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, a proponent of multiparty democracy and an architect of modern Bangladesh, laid the historical foundation for bringing ethnic communities from every corner of the country into the national mainstream through the ideology of “Bangladeshi nationalism”.He made the remarks as the chief guest at a special exchange of views with representatives of plainland ethnic communities and the Bangladesh Nationalist Ethnic Groups Party at the seminar hall of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Complex on Bailey Road in Dhaka on Saturday.Saching Prue said the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was committed to protecting the languages and cultures of ethnic communities, expanding access to modern education and ensuring improved living standards for them, regardless of whether they lived in the Chittagong Hill Tracts or the plains.Praising Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, the minister said they were working towards building a prosperous Bangladesh by embracing the significance of the “Rainbow Nation” concept and pursuing the prime minister’s vision of an inclusive government free from discrimination.He also respectfully recalled the contributions of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to education, healthcare, socioeconomic development, culture and the overall social advancement of communities in both the hill districts and the plains.Addressing the proposals and demands raised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Ethnic Groups Party delegation, Saching Prue said the government was fully aware of the problems highlighted by the representatives.“This meeting is not merely a formality; rather, it reflects the Prime Minister’s ‘Rainbow Nation’ vision,” he said.The minister added that the proposals submitted by the delegation were being considered seriously. The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and the relevant government agencies would sincerely consider the necessary steps to implement the legitimate demands put forward by the representatives, he said.During the meeting, representatives of plainland ethnic communities highlighted various challenges concerning their livelihoods, education, cultural preservation and land-related issues.The minister listened to their concerns and assured them that dialogue between the government and ethnic communities would continue in the future.The meeting was chaired by Mrigen Hagidok, president of the Bangladesh Nationalist Ethnic Groups Party and the plainland ethnic communities’ organisation. Among others, the party’s general secretary, Shishir Dio, and its senior leaders also spoke at the event.