Enroll ethnic people accurately
Minister urges DCs
The government has taken initiatives to enroll names of ethnic people sprawling across the country to ensure their advancement, said State Minister for Cultural
Affairs Promod Mankin yesterday.
To protect the interest of ethnic people, directives have been given to the respective deputy commissioners (DCs) to accelerate the enrolment process, he said.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Causes of Losing Land and Culture of Adivasi People and Initiatives," he said directives have been given as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is considering recognition of ethnic people for their contribution to the liberation war.
The minister said the government has taken various steps for well-being of the ethnic people and urged them to cooperate the government for implementing its programmes for the advancement of the community
Non-government organizations Caritas and Manusher Janno Foundation organised the seminar at Language Martyr Abdul Jabbar Auditorium with Theofil Nokrek, regional director of Caritas, in the chair.
Speakers said the forest areas are main places where indigenous people have been living for centuries together.
In the past, the government controlled the forest land depriving indigenous people and making them vulnerable, they observed.
There are 1,20,255 hectares of Saal Forest in the country during British regime. Of them, 1,04,616 hectares are in greater Mymensingh alone where 25,000 Mandi and Coach people live, the seminar was informed.
The speakers urged the government to use natural resources in forest and hilly areas of the country for well-being and advancement of indigenous people.
Deputy Commissioner of the district Lokman Hossain Miah and Rina Roy of Manusher Jonno Foundation were present as the special guests.
Zobaida Nasreen, assistant professor of Anthropology department of Dhaka University, presented the keynote paper at the seminar. More than 150 people, including NGO representatives and indigenous leaders from greater Mymensingh, attended it.
Among others Principal of Shaheed Nazrul Islam College Dr Marufi Khan, Suvash Jengcham , Advocate Emdadul Haque Millat, Principal of Notre Dame College Father Benjamin Costa, Sajeda Begum Saju, Swapon Hajang, Augustina Chicham, Zobeda Khatun, Sushil Nokrek, Birendra Chirang and Khandaker Reazul Karim took part in the discussion.
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