Official PCJSS party symbol shown on a purple background, used to illustrate the party’s decision not to contest the 2026 parliamentary election. Illustration: The Times of Jumland (based on the official PCJSS symbol)
The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) has decided not to participate in the upcoming national parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February, the party confirmed on Saturday.
The decision was taken at the party’s most recent central committee meeting on election strategy, according to Sajib Chakma, editor of PCJSS’s publicity and publication wing. He said the party will not field candidates in any of the three parliamentary constituencies of the Chittagong Hill Tracts—Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari.
Party sources said that while many leaders and activists had earlier expressed interest in contesting the election in all three hill districts, senior central leaders remained undecided. As a result, the party informally sought the views of its workers and supporters before reaching a final decision.
According to those sources, a majority of party members opposed fielding candidates, citing doubts over whether a free, fair, and acceptable election would ultimately be possible. Supporters pointed to past election experiences in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which they said were often marked by administrative bias, security concerns, and limitations on voter participation. Compared with the plains, they argued, creating a transparent and neutral election environment in the hill districts remains particularly difficult.
Taking these views into account, the party’s central leadership decided not to participate in the election.
Earlier this month, PCJSS leaders had publicly indicated that election participation was being considered. On 2 December, during a rally in Rangamati marking the anniversary of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, the party’s central leadership spoke about the possibility of joining the election. Prior to that event, internal campaigning had taken place around potential candidates in Bandarban (seat 300) and Rangamati (seat 299), while uncertainty remained over candidacy in Khagrachhari (seat 298).
PCJSS has not announced whether it will support any other political party or independent candidates. Speaking by phone today on condition of anonymity, a party member said the decision would depend on how the situation develops. “We are closely observing the situation,” the source said, adding that the party believes it has a responsibility to provide political guidance to the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
