Eight adivasi freedom fighters accorded reception
Rangamati, February 14: Buda Munda never dreamt of speaking a function let alone receiving a crest in recognition to his contribution to the war of independence, but it happened.
It happened 35 years after the country got independence though the emaciated freedom fighter of an ethnic minority community never bothered any recognition from any quarter or from the government.
Most of the freedom fighters of the ethnic minority communities like Buda never expected recognition to their contribution as they claimed to have been reminded very often after independence that it was not their soil.
But their thinking proved wrong as the Bangladesh Adivasi Adhikar Andolan and the Research and Development Collective accorded reception to eight ethnic minority community freedom fighters at the National Press Club on Friday. They were also given crests for their contributions to the war.
They are Karuna Mohan Chakma of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Suresh Chandra Barman and Jatin Chandra Barman of Gazipur, John Tudu of Dinajpur, Buda Munda of jaipurhat, Mistri Hansda of Chapainawabganj, and kakat Henanikanta (Kankon Bibi) of Sunamganj and Michael Sujay Rema of Netrokona.
‘I was too illiterate to understand company or regiment, but all that I knew was that I’ve to fight for the land and free it form the Punjabis,’ said Buda whose experience was too bitter after the independence.
Tudu said still in the northern part of the country, the adivasis were not allowed to have a cup of tea even in makeshift eateries, and there were separate arrangements (bench and cups) for them.
‘We participated in the war of independence to free the land form the Pakistanis, but after independence we are repeatedly reminded that it was not our soil,’ said Michael Sujay.
The Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary, Rabindranath Soren, said the politicians or those run the state had no headache for the adivais who were widely neglected and deprived of rights. ‘Even then, the adivasis believe that it is their land where they have to stay till death and the only thing the want is some dignity.’
Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti leader Rupayan Dewan addressed the function with HKS Arefin in the chair. Mesbah Kamal and Jannat-e-Ferdausi presented a keynote paper on ‘Independence War of Bangladesh and the Adivasi Society.’
Rangamati, February 14: Buda Munda never dreamt of speaking a function let alone receiving a crest in recognition to his contribution to the war of independence, but it happened.
It happened 35 years after the country got independence though the emaciated freedom fighter of an ethnic minority community never bothered any recognition from any quarter or from the government.
Most of the freedom fighters of the ethnic minority communities like Buda never expected recognition to their contribution as they claimed to have been reminded very often after independence that it was not their soil.
But their thinking proved wrong as the Bangladesh Adivasi Adhikar Andolan and the Research and Development Collective accorded reception to eight ethnic minority community freedom fighters at the National Press Club on Friday. They were also given crests for their contributions to the war.
They are Karuna Mohan Chakma of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Suresh Chandra Barman and Jatin Chandra Barman of Gazipur, John Tudu of Dinajpur, Buda Munda of jaipurhat, Mistri Hansda of Chapainawabganj, and kakat Henanikanta (Kankon Bibi) of Sunamganj and Michael Sujay Rema of Netrokona.
‘I was too illiterate to understand company or regiment, but all that I knew was that I’ve to fight for the land and free it form the Punjabis,’ said Buda whose experience was too bitter after the independence.
Tudu said still in the northern part of the country, the adivasis were not allowed to have a cup of tea even in makeshift eateries, and there were separate arrangements (bench and cups) for them.
‘We participated in the war of independence to free the land form the Pakistanis, but after independence we are repeatedly reminded that it was not our soil,’ said Michael Sujay.
The Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary, Rabindranath Soren, said the politicians or those run the state had no headache for the adivais who were widely neglected and deprived of rights. ‘Even then, the adivasis believe that it is their land where they have to stay till death and the only thing the want is some dignity.’
Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti leader Rupayan Dewan addressed the function with HKS Arefin in the chair. Mesbah Kamal and Jannat-e-Ferdausi presented a keynote paper on ‘Independence War of Bangladesh and the Adivasi Society.’
posted by Ven. Pragya Jyoti at 8:14 PM
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