Indigenous Communities
Demand for equal rights reiterated
Speakers at a seminar yesterday demanded the government provide equal opportunities and facilities to all indigenous communities by recognising them in the constitution.
They said Adivasi people are not enjoying the benefits of the independence though they fought for the country during the liberation war of 1971.
They are not still given constitutional recognition, and even development issues that concern them were not emphasised in the constitution, added the speakers.
This was told at the seminar held jointly by Jonoudoyag and Institute for Environment and Development (IED) at RC Majumder Arts Auditorium of Dhaka University (DU).
State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Promod Mankin, in his speech as the chief guest, said a group would be backward if it is exploited by advanced ones for long.
Emphasising that political will is required to establish the rights of indigenous people, he also protested use of the term "Upajati" to refer to the Adivasis.
Harendranath Sing, president of Adivasi Chhatra Parishad, presented the keynote paper at the programme.
He showed in the paper that 90 percent of the 20 lakh indigenous people dwelling in plain land are landless and lagging behind in education for a host of reasons.
The seminar was chaired by Prof HK Arefin, convener of Jono Udyag Jatiya Committee.
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