Bangladesh Adivasi Forum President Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma on Thursday alleged the government slapped an official embargo on the celebrations of this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People which is on Aug 9.
Better known as Santu Larma, the Adivasi leader also complained that the current status of human rights of the indigenous people was ‘not good’.
According to him, a letter titled “Regarding observance of the World’s Indigenous day” was sent to the District Commissioners of the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts on Mar 11 by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“A range of anti-Adivasi instructions including one on not observing the world indigenous day was given in the letter,” alleged Larma at a press conference at Hotel Sundarban in the morning.
He said the letter went against fundamental rights ensured by the Constitution of Bangladesh.
“The government has discriminated against indigenous people by taking decisions that can only be defined racist,” the former guerrilla leader alleged.
He said only in the current year about 30 Adivasi women fell victim to violence that included communal attack, land grabbing and eviction of indigenous people from their lands.
“Of them, seven-year old child Sagari Raon of Naogaon, 11-year old Sujata Chakma of Rangamati and 40-year old Bolimoli Chakma were killed after rape,” he added.
According to Larma, thousands of acres of lands in the hilly districts were illegally occupied by business institutions including Laden, Destiny, Mostafa, Shah Amin, S Alam, Quantum, PHP, Meridian, Exim, Babul and Acme groups.
He also alleged that Bhikkhus, Buddhist monks, of Hneela Buddhist Temple were being harassed as encroachers were trying to grab the temple land through attacks and repression.
bdnews24.com