'JS caucus a must to establish rights of indigenous people'
Indigenous leaders demanded a parliamentary caucus comprising the lawmakers from their communities and MPs supporting their causes to establish rights of indigenous people.
They also demanded the government ratify the ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples 1989 that recognises the special position of the indigenous people and protect their rights comprehensively.
“A parliamentary caucus is of urgent need to talk strongly of the indigenous communities both of the hills and plains,” said Jatindra Lal Tripura, chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Taskforce for Rehabilitation of Returnee Refugees and Internally Displaced People, at a roundtable yesterday.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Research and Development Collective (RDC) jointly organised the roundtable at a city convention centre.
State Minister for CHT Affairs Dipankar Talukdar said the government has already started the process of forming a separate land commission to settle the land disputes of the plain land indigenous people.
Jatindra said the rights of the Adivasis continue to be violated seriously. They still do not have constitutional rights and even the traditional rights to their land.
“Unless special measures are taken in their favour, their existence will be under serious threats,” he said.
RDC General Secretary Prof Mesbah Kamal put forward the proposal of setting up a caucus, saying that such a caucus could help the government pay attention to the past failures to address indigenous people's issues.
The lawmakers present at the meeting also supported the proposal.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Hasanul Huq Inu said such a parliamentary caucus could help correct “historical mistakes” regarding indigenous people.
“But the lawmakers from all parties should be included to make the caucus more acceptable,” he said.
Dipankar said it is difficult for the chairman of CHT Land Commission to handle huge land disputes of the Adivasis of the plains. So, the government now started the process of forming a separate land commission.
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong demanded inclusion of the plain land Adivasis in the formation process of the separate land commission.
Lawmakers Shawkat Momen Shajahan and Rubi Rahman, journalist Sanaullah Lavlu, ILO Country Director Panudda Boonpala, Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Harun-Ur-Rashid and Prof SHK Arefin, Secretary-in-Charge to CHT Affairs Ministry Masud Ahmed and CHT Regional Council Member Goutam Kumar Chakma also spoke.
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