Recalling an unsung hero

He struggled for the rights of indigenous people despite a life of poverty, but was not recognised before his death, speakers said yesterday at a memorial meeting for recently-passed indigenous leader Anil Marandi, founder and former president of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (JAP).

Anil Marandi, who was among the few leaders of the “post-Ila Mitra Santal renaissance”, died on January 7 at his residence in Panchgachia village of Rajshahi's Godagari upazilla.

“The fact that indigenous people lived without an identity and were deprived by the state, hurt him extremely and he often expressed this sentiment,” said Pankaj Bhattacharjee, president of Oikya NAP (National Awami Party) at the event held in Biswo Shahitto Kendro in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Adivasi Forum (BAF) organised the event where colleagues of Anil Marandi reminisced about the leader.

Indigenous students, cultural activists, researchers, and communist leaders joined the event.

Pankaj Bhattacharjee said, “The spirit of Liberation War and non-communalism are shrinking day by day,” and urged everybody to stay alert of it.

Recalling the 1991 Santal movement to protect Baburam village, lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, general secretary of Workers Party of Bangladesh, said, “A small, lanky man led the procession in the village; it spread to the town and the villagers were saved from eviction. Anil Marandi was the man behind it… It was unimaginable that indigenous [Santals] people would wake up again.”

Speakers at the programme also urged for a separate land commission for the indigenous people of the plain land, like the Chattogram Land Commission.

“Anil Marandi brought forth the struggles of indigenous people of plain lands to us,” said dramatist and actor Mamunur Rashid.

Prof Mejbah Kamal of Dhaka University said, “He [Anil] didn't write poetry, but created political poetry of [indigenous] people; he thought not only about Bangladeshi indigenous people, but also about all indigenous people of the world.”

Nirla Mardi, member of Adivasi Chattra Parishad, sang an indigenous song in reminiscence of Anil Marandi at the programme.

Conducted by BAF member Harendranath Singh, Rabindranath Soren, president of JAP; Numan Ahmed Khan, executive director of Institute for Environment and Development (IED); Sanjib Drong, general secretary of BAF; and Dipayan Khisa, member of United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), spoke on the occasion, among others.