Indigenous, Minority Communities
Recent attack patterns same
Says Rashed Khan Menon
The recent patterns of attacks on indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and on people of the religious minority are the same, said Rashed Khan Menon, convener of parliamentary caucus on indigenous peoples, yesterday.
In this regard, he cited the recent attacks on indigenous people in Rangamati and Joypurhat and on religious minorities in Satkhira and Dinajpur.
A vested quarter is behind these attacks, he said, suggesting lawmakers to step forward to address these incidents.
“The lawmakers from areas populated by indigenous people should remember that indigenous people are also voters,” he added.
Menon was addressing a discussion, “Engaging parliamentarians in indigenous peoples' issues”, in the Parliamentary Member's Club auditorium in the compound of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Indigenous peoples' leaders, arriving from different parts of the country to join the discussion, said though indigenous people voted for the lawmakers of the ruling alliance government, the latter were never found in times of need.
“We do not see these lawmakers when we need them,” said a leader of the Santal community, Anil Marnadi.
Sanjib Drong, secretary general of Forum for the Indigenous People of Bangladesh, presenting a keynote, said the country's indigenous people were now “awakened” and raising voice for their rights.
But the indigenous people will not win the fight without the help of democratic and progressive forces, he said.
Promode Mankin, state minister for social welfare, said the government was not the enemy of indigenous people and had the intention to take steps for their betterment.
Prof Mesbah Kamal, coordinator of the technical committee on the caucus, delivered his welcome speech while Fazle Hossain Badsha MP and Information Commissioner Prof Sadeka Halim also spoke at the discussion.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments