Violence against Adivasi women increasing
Increasing incidents of violence against indigenous females has raised serious concerns over their security, rights activists said yesterday, demanding that the government take steps to bring the perpetrators to book.
In 2012, there were 75 incidents of violence against indigenous women and children but the number rose to 117 in 2014, said officials of Bangladesh Adivasi Women Network (BAWN).
Rape, murder, attempted murder, abduction, physical and sexual harassment and trafficking are some of the violence to have been committed, they said.
“Already a number of such incidents have occurred this year, which is a matter of grave concern,” said Chaitali Tripura, joint convener of BAWN.
Most of the perpetrators use violence to create panic and chaos among the indigenous communities and evict them from their land, she said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
“Most of the incidents occur between indigenous people and influential or Bangalee settlers over land disputes,” Chaitali said.
Patriarchal attitude and lack of legal and financial support for victims are some other reasons behind such violence, she added.
Sabina Yasmin Rony, a teacher at Dhaka University's women and gender studies department, among others, spoke at the programme.
The organisation demanded a roadmap to implement the CHT peace accord and settle all land disputes immediately.
It also demanded medical treatment, legal assistance and compensation to women and children who were victims of violence.
Another of their demand was formation of a separate land commission to settle the disputes of the plain land indigenous people.
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