Minorities in need of more legal access

Speakers at a research dissemination yesterday stressed the need for easier and better access to legal issues for the marginalised and socially excluded communities to ensure their rights, arranged by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Research Initiatives, Bangladesh (RIB), in the capital's The Daily Star Centre.

They said ethnic women without legal knowledge had been deprived of their land rights, just like most of the tea community people, who did not know where to go to seek justice.

Abstracts of researches conducted by eight fellows on indigenous peoples' land rights, and rights of the disabled and workers were presented at the programme. They were also awarded certificates for their work. "The land rights of the ethnic people have not been ensured under the existing law," alleged ethnic community leader Sanjeeb Drong, adding, "One cannot save a land without having an affiliation with influential people or money."  Kazi Reazul Hoque of National Human Rights Commission, stressed raising the issues before the government bodies under a common platform. Barrister Sara Hossain, honourary executive director of BLAST also spoke while, RIB Executive Director Meghna Guhathakurta chaired the event.