Introduction

Abstract

AbstractAfter signing a peace agreement, its implementation becomes an intractable challenge to most peacebuilders worldwide. Implementing a peace agreement involves a range of measures adopted by various actors at different levels that are targeted at reducing the risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict. At the state level, the government and, more broadly, other state agencies (e.g. the bureaucracy and the army) have the authoritative power to implement the agreement. At the same time, local (the beneficiary of a peace agreement) and international actors may have their own views about the implementation process of the peace agreement. Considering the politics of interest at the three levels designated above, the efforts in implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Agreement in Bangladesh offer a typical case worthy of research. In this book, answers have been sought to the following research question: why do the GoB, the Hill people and the international actors hold different views in implementing the CHT Peace Agreement? However, this chapter deals with the following issues in various sections in a logical and coherent manner, they are, demographic composition of Bangladesh, an overview of the CHT, the background of the research question, objective and hypothesis relating to the research question, originality of the work, research method and finally, an overview of the chapters taken for discussion in overall body of the book.