Ethnic minority communities from the plain lands on Monday demanded a representative in the newly formed interim government.
They also demanded their constitutional recognition as 鈥榠ndigenous鈥� people at a rally held at the anti-terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus to press home 11-point demands.
Presiding over the rally, Bangladesh Adivasi Chhatra Sangram Parishad president Alik Mree demanded an end to all exploitation and deprivation of ethnic minority people.
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum鈥檚 assistant general secretary Gajendra Nath Mahato stated that the vision of building a new Bangladesh could not be achieved without including plain land ethnic minority people.
He urged to include a representative from the plain land ethnic community and accept their 11-point demand to ensure their rights to the interim government. This interim government has been formed after a student-led mass upsurge forcing Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India where she has now taken shelter, has taken place.
The demands also include: recognition of ethnic minority people as 鈥榠ndigenous鈥� in the constitution; assurance of traditional land rights; reservation of seats for them in local government; allocation of sufficient funds in the national budget; establishment of cultural institutions; an end to land acquisition and eviction under the pretext of development; creation of employment opportunities; assurance of primary education in the mother tongue of ethnic minority people and enacting an act for their protection amending the Forest Act, 1927.
Writer and researcher Pavel Partha said that Bangladesh is a pluralistic country with people of various languages and cultures.
He called for justice for the killings of ethnic minority people in the name of development and urged an end to the eviction of the people from their lands.
Partha also stated that without ensuring constitutional recognition and establishment of a separate ministry and land commission for plain land ethnic minority people, equality in Bangladesh could not be achieved.
After the rally, the participants brought out a procession that started from the Raju Memorial Sculpture, went to the Shahbagh crossing and concluded at the Swaparjito Swadhinata Square of TSC.
They also announced a cultural procession of ethnic minority people to be held on Friday, at 3:00pm.
