Ethnic communities demand human rights protection

FE Team | Published: December 11, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RAJSHAHI, Dec 10 (BSS): Speakers at a post-rally discussion here today underscored the need for protecting the human rights of the ethnic minorities for their mainstreaming.
They mentioned that there should be effective measures for creating public awareness towards establishing human rights of the ethnic communities and highlighting their livelihood related diversities before all.
They made the observation while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day Human Rights Fair-2014 being held at Green Plaza of Rajshahi City Corporation. "Hands of Humanity for Protecting Human Rights" is the main theme of the fair.
Adibashi Sangskritik Unnayan Sangstha (ASUS) organized the fair in association with European Union and Oxfam under the project of 'Strengthening the Voice of Human Rights Defenders to Protect Rights and Entitlements of Ethnic Minorities'.
Main thrust of the fair is to bring together human rights activists, government officials, academicians, lawyers, indigenous leaders and civil society members to share current situations of human rights violation and make a possible way out.
The fair has three separate technical sessions where a number of famous educationists of the country, government officials and public representatives are likely to address.
Noted writer and educationist of the subcontinent Professor Hasan Azizul Haque opened the fair and addressed the inaugural session as chief guest while Prof Mezbah Kamal from Dhaka University gave the introductory speech.
With Raj Kumar Shaon, Executive Director of ASUS, in the chair, M B Akter, Acting Country Director of Oxfam, Julia Jacoby, Programme Manager of Governance and Human Rights and EU representative Kasia Kazubska also spoke.
Prof Hasan Azizul Haque underlined the need for mainstreaming the ethnic community people for making them worthy citizens and 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.
Importance should be given to protecting them from all sorts of repression and oppression by the surrounding opportunists for their peaceful.
Prof Mejbah Kamal called for freeing the ethnic people from all sorts of disparities, repression and harassments. He also stressed the need for enhancing budgetary allocation for elevating the condition of the disadvantaged people.
He mentioned that the land related problems of the plain aboriginal people should be resolved on an urgent basis as the problems are being aggravated day by day posing a serious threat to their livelihood.