'Ensure rights of indigenous people'


Dhaka, January 17, 2007 : Speakers at a discussion at Shyamnagar yesterday said that indigenous people are yet to get their constitutional rights although they are fighting for the same for a long time.

The discussion titled 'Indigenous People's Rights to Land and Government Property and Actual Wage' was jointly organised by Action Aid Bangladesh, CPD Khulna and a local NGO Pragati Samaj Unnayan Sangstha.

Held at the Pragati Samaj Unnayan Sangstha auditorium at Shyamnagar the discussion was presided by Principal Ashek E Elahi.

Speakers demanded enactment of appropriate law to protect their rights including their culture and heritage. They wanted a separate ministry for indigenous people and special allocation for them from national budget to ensure equal rights with other citizens of the country.

They urged the government to ensure their right to land and vote because they are still facing racial discrimination and being deprived of human rights.

Now their existence is at stake due to repression perpetrated on them for a long time, they said.

Although indigenous people contribute a lot in national development, yet they do not get their due wage, they said.

They were critical of influential people who grabbed their land taking advantage of poverty and illiteracy.

They called upon people of all walks of life in society to come forward to ensure their rights.

Among others, Sharifullah Kaisar Suman, Prof Abdullah Al Farooque, freedom fighter SM Monsur Ali, Akbar Kabir, Abdul Hakim, Humayun Kabir, Zahidul Islam and others.