The covers of three indigenous alphabet books were unveiled in Khagrachhari yesterday.

Khagrachhari Hill District Council Chairman (KHDC) Manindra Lal Tripura formally unveiled the covers as chief guest at the Parjatatan Motel.

President of local NGO Zabarang Kalyan Samity Chandra Kishore Tripura presided over the inaugural ceremony.

The function was organised jointly by Save the Children UK and Zabarang Kalayan Samity.

Kokborak alphabet book was launched for Tripura Community, Chakma alphabet book for Chakma Community and Marma alphabet book for Marma community.

Henceforth the children of three tribal communities will receive their lessons in their own languages.

Speaking on the occasion, Monindra Lal said the government has already taken initiative to train up primary school teachers at Rangamati Primary Training Institute in Chakma, Marma and Tripura languages to ensure primary level education in their own mother tongues.

The speakers said it is very important to impart primary level education to children in their own languages.

If the children can learn their mother tongue very well then it will be possible for them to acquire further knowledge through a multilingual education system, they added.

The speakers also laid emphasis on preserving indigenous customs, tradition and culture by using their own alphabets.

They urged the government to incorporate these alphabet books in all CHT primary school syllabuses.

Save the Children Representative Terry Durnian, Unicef Representative Sayed Milky, UNDP Representative Lisena Howard and Zabarang Kalayan Samity Chief Executive Mothura Lal Tripura also spoke on the occasion.

Later Manindra Lal formally handed over three sets of books to three minor students of Marma, Chakma and Tripura communities.