Twelve student organisations representing national minority communities at a press conference on Monday demanded a five-day government holidays in all educational institutions from April 12 to16 for their major festival, including Changkran, Sangrai, Sangkrai, Baisu, Bisu, Bihu, Sangraing, Thangren, and Bizhu.
They presented a four-point demand at the press conference at the Madhu鈥檚 Canteen on Dhaka University campus.
Conducted by Numangpru Marma, Ananto Tanchangya read the written statement at the conference.
Just as the Bengali community celebrates their Bengali new year, the national minority communities celebrate their major social and religious festivals marking the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one, said Ananto Tanchangya.
The statement further mentioned that for many years, various political and social organisations of national minorities had been demanding that the government declare a public holiday on the occasion of these festivals and ensure that no public examinations were scheduled during this time.
聽鈥楬owever, no such initiative has been taken yet,鈥� mentioned Ananto.
Following the press conference, a memorandum was submitted to the chief adviser Muhhamad Yunus through the Dhaka district commissioner.
The demands presented in the memorandum also ensuring that no public examinations such as secondary school certificate or higher secondary certificate are scheduled during this period; granting leave to officials and employees belong to national minority communities in all government, semi-government, autonomous and private institutions, and ensuring holiday provisions for national minority communities鈥� labourers working in different industries.聽
Rumen Chakma, general secretary of the Parbatya Chattagram Pahari Chatra Parishad, Shanti Devi Tanchangya, president of the Hill Women鈥檚 Federation, Paya Mro from the Mro Students鈥� Family in Dhaka, Uthant Chak from the Bangladesh Chak Students Association, Karna jyoti Tripura from TSF, Snehalal Tanchangya from the Bangladesh Tanchangya Students鈥� Welfare Forum, Lalling Bom from the Bom Students鈥� Society, Sangkheong Khumi from the Bangladesh Khumi Students鈥� Council and Rupaiya Shrestha Tanchangya, joint convener of the Bangladesh Democratic Student Council, were present at the conference.