Integrated efforts of all the government, non-government and other stakeholders can be the effective means of protecting and promoting land and human rights of ethnic minority people through mainstreaming them.
They should be given equal access to their fundamental rights to land, food, shelter, healthcare, education and culture together with fulfilling other requirements for the sake of balanced development of the nation side by side achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ethnic minority leaders and development activists came up with the observation while addressing a regional consultation meeting on land and human rights issues of indigenous communities of North Bengal. Kapaeeng Foundation (KF), Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (JAP) and Anagrasar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (ASUS) jointly organized the consultation at Ashrai Centre conference hall at Paba upazila in the district on Monday.
Prof Abu Naser Wahid from the Department of Law at Rajshahi University addressed the meeting as focal person disseminating his expertise on the issue, while Upazila Nirbahi Officer Lasmi Chakma spoke as chief guest with KF Executive Director Pallab
Chakma in the chair.
JAP Information and Research Secretary Manik Saren presented a keynote paper on the issue, while ASUS Executive Director Rajkumar Shaw welcomed the participants.
Stressing the need for protecting the rights of the ethnic minority people, Prof Wahid said importance should be given on protecting the underprivileged people from all sorts of deceptions.
He called for freeing the ethnic communities from the vicious cycle of poverty coupled with making them fit for all the nation- building activities.
Pallab Chakma underscored the need for establishing social justice towards the ethnic communities through removing all sorts of disparities.
In her remarks, Lasmi Chakma said the present government under the prudent and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing various need-based programmes for improving living and livelihood conditions of the ethnic minority people.
