JS body demands arrest of rapists
The parliamentary caucus on indigenous affairs yesterday raised a four-point demand, including the arrest of the people who tortured and raped an indigenous woman, also an elected union representative of Gomostapur upazila in Chapainawabganj, early this month.
The three other points of the demand, raised during a press conference at Jatiya Sangsad Media Centre, include recognition of the traditional land rights of indigenous people, formation of a land commission for plain land Adivasis, and passage of a law on the rights of all indigenous communities in Bangladesh.
At the briefing, Fazle Hossain Badsha, convener of the parliamentary caucus, shared their first-hand experiences of visiting the scene of the torture.
The indigenous woman was attacked on August 6, while she was working in her field. Badsha said, “We don't want to know their [perpetrators'] political identity.
We just want to see all of them arrested and punished.”
The Workers Party lawmaker from Rajshahi said locally influential quarters carried out the heinous attack with an aim to grab her land. The victim's family has sued 18 people, but police have so far arrested only seven of them, he said.
Badsha said the parliamentary caucus would visit her in hospital in Chapainawabganj on August 31 to express their solidarity with the woman who had been engaged for many years in ensuring the rights of indigenous people in the area.
Members of the caucus--lawmakers Hazera Sultana, Kazi Rozi, and indigenous leader Sanjeeb Drong-- were present at the briefing.
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