Dalit and excluded community members in Barisal on Wednesday demanded constitutional recognition and end of discrimination by birth and profession.
They also emphasised implementing constitutional and anti-discriminative directives to influence developments of socio-economic structures.The views were expressed in a daylong divisional level discussion titled ‘discriminations by birth and profession: socio-economic influence and way of development’ held at Celebration Point auditorium in the city.
It was jointly organised by Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement and Nagarik Uddyog (citizen’s initiative).
Local government representatives, right activists, educationists, leaders from different community and professions attended the programme.
District president of BDREM Lalit Das presided over the programme and central organizing secretary Uttam Kumar Vakto conducted the programme.
Among others Professor Md Hanif, Mukul Shikdar, Akkas Hossain, Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, Mrinal Kanti Saha, Dr Syed Habibur Rahman, Shuvangkar Chakroborty, Bakul Hossain addressed the programme.
According to an unofficial estimate, there are around 5.5 to 7 million Dalits and excluded community members with only five per cent literacy, 10 per cent schooling and 95 per cent dropout rates in Bangladesh.
The addressees of the programme said that the constitution declares the equal opportunity regardless of any caste and creed.
‘It is the state’s responsibility to ensure the rights of every citizen regardless of any segregation,’ the speakers at the programme proclaimed.
Speakers also demanded recognition of Dalit people’s achievements in liberation war, special cell in the Human Rights Commission, SME loan and plots in Bangladesh Institute of Small Industry and Cottage estates for the socio-economic development of the community people.
They recommended representatives from the Dalit and excluded community members in the parliament, in law implementing agencies and special provision, quotas and budgetary allocation for them in different sectors of society, profession, education, health and housing.
-With New Age input
