Ensure fundamental rights of Dalits

Speakers tell roundtable

29 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday stressed the need to ensure fundamental rights of backward people, including Dalits, and introduce social security scheme for them. “Members of the Dalit community have been living in different cities of the country over the last 100 years, but they are deprived of various facilities in society,” said Adan Islam, executive director of Dhoritri Foundation, in her keynote speech. Dhoritri Foundation and Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad in association with Oxfam jointly organised the roundtable at the auditorium of Bangladesh Economic Association in the city, with Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad in the chair. There are three types of barriers to the progress of Dalit such as behavioral barrier, institutional barrier and environmental barrier, Adan Islam said at the roundtable on 'Economic Justice for Dalit'. Providing special allowance or monthly allowance would not solve the problems of Dalit community, she said, adding that social security scheme should be introduced for them, she said. Allam, a leader of Dalit community in Gabtoli City Colony, said their colony does not have facilities for drinking water or gas and that even a single room has to house six families due to lack of accommodation facilities. Speaking as the chief guest, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid said the government would take proper steps to ensure the rights of Dalit and housing projects for them would the implemented in Manikganj. Lawmaker Junayed Ahmed Palak said only 25 lakh people, out of 15 crore people, belong to Dalit community, but it is not possible to ensure development of the country keeping them backward. Expressing solidarity with the demand for their fundamental rights, he said a colony with facilities for water and gas would be built in his constituency for Dalit people.