RAJSHAHI, May 11, 2019 (BSS)- Speakers at a discussion here today called for ensuring social justice and sustainable development of living and livelihood conditions of ethnically minority communities in the greater Rajshahi region as it has become crucial for their peaceful existence.
They said that the ethnic communities should be given the rights of land, food, healthcare, education and cultural opportunities. So, all the government and non-government entities concerned should come forward and work together to this end.
They came up with the observation while addressing a discussion titled “Participation and Budget Thinking for Development of Marginalised Population” held at Hotel Warishan in the city.
The development organizations- Rulfao, Jatiya Adibashi Parishad (JAP) and Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD)- jointly organized the discussion.
Large number of people including development activists, leaders of influence, academics and ethnic minority leaders and students joined the meeting and took part in its open discussion.
General Secretary of Workers Party of Bangladesh Fazley Hossain Badsha, MP, addressed the discussion as chief guest with Rulfao Director Afzal Hossain in the chair. Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan from Department of Geology and Mining and Prof Iliash Hossain from Department of Economics in Rajshahi University spoke on the occasion as resource persons.
ALRD Deputy Executive Director Rawshan Jahan Moni gave an overview of the issue while its Researcher Md Sarwardi put forward a set of recommendations on how to ensure the basic rights to the ethnic minority population in his keynote presentation.
Lawmaker Badsha called for freeing the ethnic communities from the vicious cycle of poverty coupled with making them fit for all the nation- building activities.
He stressed the need for protecting the rights of the ethnic minority people and said importance should be given on protecting the underprivileged people from all sort of deceptions.
Badsha underscored the need for establishing social justice towards the plain land ethnic communities through removing all sorts of disparity.
He said the aboriginal people are hard working and have been playing a vital role towards increasing farm production. So, emphasis should be given on removing all sorts of disparities against them.