Separate land commission, ministry sought

Rights activists yesterday demanded a separate land commission and a separate ministry for the plain land indigenous people.

They were addressing a seminar on "Protection of land rights and human rights of both hill and plain land indigenous people: role of state" at Cirdap Auditorium.

The speakers called for an immediate end to rights violation, including killing, rape, grabbing of land, of indigenous people. 

Adivasi Commission was formed in India just after about 13 years of independence in 1960, while Bangladesh has already passed 43 years of independence, said Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, who presented a keynote paper at the seminar.

He stressed the need for an indigenous community-friendly national policy.

Sanjeeb said indigenous people of plain land lose their lands for many different reasons like migration and setting up of eco parks.

Robaet Ferdous, associate professor of mass communication and journalism of Dhaka University, demanded legal recognition of indigenous people's traditional land rights. He said Bangladesh is not a state that has one language and one religion; it has multiple languages and religions. 

The associate professor also demanded an indigenous people rights act.

Syed Abul Maksud, noted journalist and columnist, said the government has to create a separate class-1 post in DC offices in the districts where indigenous people live.

Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, chaired the seminar organised by Association for Land Reform and Development and Bangladesh Adivasi Forum.

Dhaka University Professor Sadeka Halim, Vice Chancellor of Asha University Dalem Chandra Barmon, among others, spoke at the seminar.