Maungdaw, Arakan State: In a bid to induct students as members, the committee members of the Regional Development Association (RDA) of Maungdaw town have been distributing white shirts to them including high school and university students for a week, said a local elder.

A RDA steering committee was formed on May 18, in Maungdaw town for functioning in northern Arakan, including Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships. It will control all the sub-offices of other townships.

Dr. Nurul Haque alias Dr. Htun Aung was appointed Chairman of RDA while Azim Ullah of Ward number two was appointed secretary.

Students are invited to the RDA office and told that it will provide them jobs according to their educational status. The students are also asked to provide a photograph to the RDA to get a membership form, said a student from the town.

It is learnt that a delegation of three high officials from Naypyidaw visited Maungdaw Town on May 20, and held discussions with local authorities and some RDA members about the forthcoming elections. The following day, they returned to Naypyidaw, said an aide of Nasaka.  

The RDA is meant to do development work for local people, but in reality, they have been campaigning for USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party).

Local people are monitoring the activities of the USDP and RDA, and most are not satisfied because promises made to local people are not implemented, said a businessman.