Ostracism makes 95pc Dalit children school dropouts

In the face of maltreatment by classmates and discriminations by teachers, 95 percent of Dalit children drop out of schools, a leader of the downtrodden community said yesterday, depicting their position in society.    
Moni Rani Das, president of Bangladesh Dalit Women's Federation, said, "Even those who graduate after fighting off all barriers hardly get proper job due to their birth." Dalit girls face double discrimination, she told the organisation's third annual conference at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
Rani said, "Only 10 percent of Dalit children enrol in school while the proportion is 90 percent in the mainstream community."
She demanded that the government take steps to prevent such dropouts, stop child marriage, facilitate their higher education and employment in the mainstream sectors, and ensure maternity leave for female employees.
Lutfa Taher, a member of the parliamentary standing committee on social welfare ministry, assured the community of discussing their demands with authorities concerned, in and outside parliament.   
At another discussion at the same place, the speakers urged the government to set quotas in educational institutions and for government jobs for Dalit and Harijan communities.
"We want a discrimination-free society where all communities including Dalit and Harijan will live with due social dignity," said Mahfuza Khanan, member of the National Human Rights Commission.
She demanded reserved seats for the communities in parliament like those for women.
Dalit Rishi Panchayat Forum Convener Rajkumar Das also addressed the discussion, jointly organised by Human Rights and Defender Forum and voluntary organisation SHAREE.