Guests at Chittgong Hill Tracts Indigenous Writers' Conference held at the auditorium of Rangamati Khudra Nrigosthi Institute in the town yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regional Council Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma yesterday said the present government has erased the identities of 45 indigenous communities living in Bangladesh.
The 15th amendment to the constitution demeans our culture, tradition and customs, Bodhipriya, popularly known as Santu Larma, said in his speech as the chief guest at a function of CHT Indigenous Writers Conference-2014.
With support from Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), preparatory committee for CHT Indigenous writers' conference organised the function, first of its kind in CHT, at the auditorium of Rangamati Khudra Nrigosthi Institute in the town.
"Jumma people's right to land as well as political, economic and social rights are yet to be established. You [writers] should write about their decades-long suppression and deprivation by the state machinery and play revolutionary role for establishing self-determination of the Jumma people," said Larma, also chief of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).   
Dr Muhammad Samad, vice chancellor of University of Information, Technology and Science, who attended the function as special guest, urged the indigenous writers to write about own tradition, culture and customs.
The writers and poets can bring about positive changes in the society and the country through writing against any injustice, superstition and prejudice, said Samad, citing Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Ishwar Chandra Bidyasagor.  
Shishir Chakma, convenor of CHT indigenous writers' conference preparatory committee, chaired the opening session while Ananda Jyoti Chakma, member secretary of the committee, delivered the welcome speech.
The aim of the conference is to bring all the writers and poets under a network to flourish their talents and develop the Jumma literature in CHT, which will ultimately help to establish right of self-determination of the Jumma people, said Ananda Jyoti Chakma.   
Bangla Academy award winner indigenous writer and researcher Pravangsu Tripura inaugurated the conference by lighting candle.
Wasiur Rahman Tanmoy, programme coordinator of MJF, Kya Shwe Prue, writer and researcher, Nirupa Dewan, member of National Human Rights Commission, and Banchita Chakma, principal of Rangamati Government College, also attended the programme as special guests.
Around 200 indigenous writers and poets from Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban joined the conference.