Ensuring rights of minorities stressed for dev

The Rajshahi mayor, AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, has categorically said the legitimate and equitable rights of the ethnic minority people must be ensured for overall development of the nation.
In this regard, he called for undertaking an effective step to make the aboriginal people competent in all aspects especially literacy and social empowerment so that they could ensure their welfare.
He was addressing the regional consultations styled ‘International Labour Organisations Conventions No 107 and 159 and Indigenous Peoples Issues in Bangladesh’ jointly organised by Jatiya Adibashi Parishad and Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum at Nanking Darbar Hall in Rajshahi on Monday.
Liton underlined the need for a concerted effort to bring the aboriginal people in the mainstream of society for their substantial welfare and said importance should also be given to protecting the ethnic community people from all sorts of repression and oppression by the surrounding opportunists for their peaceful survival.
Depicting grim pictures of their vulnerable lifestyle and other social context, he laid stress on undertaking special program to protect them from massive violation of human rights along with safeguarding against discrimination.
He, however, viewed that the aboriginal people are hardworking and they have been playing a vital role in increasing farm production. So, he said, a holistic village- based community development approach has become indispensable for their substantial welfare.
Chaired by ILO representative Coen Kompier the opening session was addressed, among others, by Prof Shafiul Islam of Social Work department and Prof Sujit Sarker of Rajshahi University and general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum Sanjeeb Drong.
In his speech, Sanjeeb Drong narrated the vulnerable social status and said that the minority people should be given opportunities of enjoying the fundamental rights for development of their socio- economic condition.
Apart from this, he underscored the need for a concerted effort of all government and non-government organisations and other stakeholders to ensure reproductive health and safe motherhood for the disadvantaged and poor aboriginal community.

Courtesy of BSS via NewAgebd