They said dubious allegiance of Urdu-speaking people is obstructing their rehabilitation in Bangladesh.

The consultation programme titled 'Rehabilitation of the camp-based Urdu-speaking community in Bangladesh: The role of civil society' was organised by Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU) at the seminar room of Press Institute of Bangladesh in the city.

Prof C R Abrar, keynote speaker of the programme, said any kind of rehabilitation requires active participation of that particular community in framing the rehabilitation policy.

Putting aside the legal issues, he stressed on multi-agency focus on their poverty alleviation, community empowerment and socio-physical services for proper rehabilitation.

Former Attorney General Hasan Arif said, before deciding whether to be repatriated to Pakistan or rehabilitated in Bangladesh, these people are to decide first " Who I am and what I want to be."

He said allegiance is the precondition for citizenship.

Justice Nayeemuddin Ahmed said there is no constitutional barrier for the children born in Bangladesh to become its citizens and enjoying constitutional rights as long as they show complete allegiance to this country as per the court's directives.

But in establishing their rights, they are to be vocal in their demands, the civil society can offer them some guidelines only, he added.

Taleya Rehman of Democracy Watch said even the donor agencies are apathetic in initiating any independent rehabilitation programme for Urdu-speaking people due to ignorance about their legal status and their plight as well.

Journalist Kamal Lohani called for concerted efforts by like-minded organisations to create pressure on the government in undertaking appropriate steps regarding them.

Poet Asad Chowdhury, Executive Director of Al Falah Bangladesh Ahmed Ilias, Dr Quamruzzaman of Dhaka Community Hospital, and Muhammad Hasan and Khalid Hossain of the Association of Urdu-speaking Young Generation also spoke on the occasion.