Recognise rights of indigenous people

4 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Magura

A colourful procession marking World Indigenous Day parades the main streets of Magura town yesterday. Photo: STAR

World Indigenous Day was observed here yesterday with a call for constitutional recognition to the rights of indigenous people. To mark the occasion, Research Development Collective (RDC) in Dhaka and Adivasi Samaj Kalyan Samity in Magura jointly organised a day-long programme in the town. The programme includes colourful rally, discussion, cultural function and distribution of prizes among child artists from Adivasi community. General Secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Odhikar Andolon (BAOA) Prof Mesbah Kamal inaugurated the programme while Language Movement veteran Sree Yu Suey was the chief guest. Addressing a discussion meeting, U Suye urged the government to ensure constitutional recognition to the rights of indigenous people, take steps against encroachment on land in the hilly region, stern action against encroachers and to make the land commission more effective. Human rights movement will not succeed unless basic needs of the ethnic groups are addressed, he added. Prof Mesbah Kamal said mainstream people's support is a must to protect the rights of the ethnic groups. He urged the government to take immediate measures to stop encroachment on the land of the indigenous people. Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Dilwar Bakht, the discussion meeting was addressed, among others, by Rakhi Mrong, Md Altaf Hossain and advocate Hasan Siraj Suja.