World Indigenous Day
Don't restrict celebration
Demands Menon
Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon yesterday criticised the government's decision of "restricting" the celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous People in Bangladesh on August 9.
Terming the act "racial" and "fanatical", he demanded immediate cancellation of the decision.
Many indigenous people died in frontline battles against the Pakistani force in 1971, but in return we are now even not allowing them to observe their festival, he said.
The lawmaker said, "Adivasis like Santals also contributed in anti-British, Tevaga movement. But now they have to fight for constitutional recognition, their languages are still neglected, and they are projected negatively in our country. It makes them more marginalised."
Menon was addressing a seminar, marking 157 years' celebration of Santal insurrection of 1855-56, organised by Jatiya Adivasi Parishad at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
On March 11, the LGRD ministry dispatched a letter to all administrative units and deputy commissioners (DCs) across the country to "monitor intensively that no support from the government side is granted to any programme of the indigenous people's day".
Rabindra Nath Saren, president of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, chaired the seminar.
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