Fanfare marks Indigenous People's Day in dists

Indigenous people presenting a traditional dance at Mundumala High School field in Tanore in Rajshahi on Sunday, marking observance of World Indigenous People's Day. PHOTO: STAR

Their colourful programmes also drew Bangalees in large numbers.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Rajshahi: The World Indigenous People's Day was observed here with great fervour and festivities in Rajshahi town and in Tanore upazila.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Different aborigines' forums chalked out a two-day programme on the occasion. They also pressed their five-point demand including protecting their constitutional rights.

Colourfully dressed aborigine girls and children with tree leaves and flowers in hands and men carrying drums, bows and arrows performed their typical dances and rendered songs on the city streets on Sunday.

Crowds in large numbers lined up on roadsides enjoyed the traditional cultural programmes.

The day's programme began in the morning with a big rally of nearly 5,000 aborigine people from northern districts. Eminent literatteur Hasan Azizul Haque inaugurated the rally.

This was followed by a discussion meeting held at the District Council auditorium with National Aborigines Council President Anil Marandi in the chair.

The Council's advisor and Workers Party leader Fazle Hossain Badsha, its General Secretary Rabindranath Saren, WP leaders Rafiqul Islam and Ganesh Majhi and CPB Rajshahi unit President Enamul Haque addressed the rally.

They reiterated the five-point demand of the aborigine people. These include recovery of aborigines' lands occupied by land grabbers, an end to 'repression', seats for aborigines in the Jatiya Sangsad and formation of a separate ministry for them.

Fazle Hossain Badsha called upon aborigines to unite and continue their struggle to realise their demands.

In Tanore, the Adibashi Unnayan Sangstha held a big gathering and a cultural function at Pachondor yesterday.

Prominent industrialist and Awami League leader Omar Faruk Chowdhury, Rajshahi Muktijuddha Pathagar President Shafiqur Rahman, Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Khristan Adibashi Oikya Parishad Regional President Dr Sujit Sarkar addressed the gathering. Our Correspondent reports from Ranganati: The day was observed through festivities in Rangamati hill town yesterday.

The day-long programme began in the morning with a colourful function held on the premises of the Shilpakola Akademy. Indigenous people representing as many as 11 ethnic groups in the entire CHT region attended the programme.

Rodong Shilpi Gosthi performed a open air Gono Sangeet (people's song) at the Bot Tola in front of the academy.

This was followed by a colorful procession.

Wearing traditional dresses, representatives of Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Tanchangya, Khyang, Pangkhu, Bawm, Mro, Lusai, Khumi and Chak tribes took part in the procession. They carried placards and banners highlighting demand of the aborigine people in the country.

A discussion meeting on 'Our land, Our life' was held at the Pouroshova auditorium at noon. It was presided over by Usaton Talukder, Convenor of the Indigenous Day Observance Co-mmittee.

Prof Hamida Banu of Chittagong University attended the meeting as chief guest while Prof Moniru-zzaman of the same university was the main speaker.

The speakers called upon the government to protect the lands of aborigines from Bangalee land grabbers in different parts of the country and to protect their rights.

Our Correspondent reports from Netrakona:

The Indigenous People's Day was observed at Jolshatra in Modhupur upazila in Tangil district through a day-long programme yesterday.

In the morning several hundred colourfully dressed indigenous people from different areas of Modhupur brought out a procession. They carried banners and placards reading slogans like 'Our land, Our life' and chanted slogans against the government's planned Eco Park in Modhupur.

The rally was followed by a discussion meeting, held at Jolchatra High School playground.

The meeting was presided over by Ajoy Mree, Conveyor of the Committee for Indigenous People's land Rights and Environment Preservation', who was freed from jail recently.

It was addressed by, among others, Uzine Nokrak, Chairman of Modhupur Upazila Tribal Welfare Association, indigenous leaders Tomash Sumsung and Rakhi Mrong.

It was followed by a cultural function at the same venue in the evening.