Indigenous people in Sylhet losing land as grabbers remain scot-free

In the face of land grabbing and injustice, indigenous people in Sylhet division are increasingly leaving their ancestral homes, speakers at a discussion in Kulaura upazila said yesterday.

They said the government should recognise different minority communities as indigenous people and establish their economic, social and land rights to stop such migration.

Moulvibazar Bar Association Executive Member Subimol Lyngdokiri addressed the programme as special guest with Protush Asakra, president of Kuboraj Inters Punjee Development Organisation, in the chair.

Subimol said people from different indigenous communities are always deprived of mainstream development and the trend should change for betterment of the plain land indigenous people.

In the context of land rights issue, plain land indigenous people are facing more trouble than that of the hilly indigenous people, he said, adding that indigenous people in Sylhet division are increasingly migrating to other places due to rampant land grabbing and injustice.

He also stressed the need for undertaking effective steps to make the indigenous people competent in all aspects, especially literacy and social empowerment, so that they can ensure their welfare.

While attending the programme as the chief guest, Kulaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Abul Layes said the government is running various projects for development of the indigenous communities.

Indigenous Peoples’ Development Services (IPDS) organised the projects, funded by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) and UKaid, he said.

Among others, Kulaura Upazila Agriculture Officer Jaglul Haider, Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Hedayet Ullah and Junior Programme Officer of Caritas, Sylhet region, Prokash Chandra Sarker, spoke as special guests while Orijen Khonglah read out the keynote.

The speakers also emphasised the need for an intensive effort to bring the indigenous people in the mainstream of the society and urged for necessary steps to protect them from repression and oppression by their surroundings.