Ensuring social justice for ethnic groups stressed

RAJSHAHI, Mar 11 (BSS): Ensuring social justice towards the ethnic groups in the country's northwest region including its vast Barind tract has become the demand of time for elevation of their living and livelihood conditions alongside their mainstreaming.
Speakers made this observation while addressing a discussion styled "Social Justice and Development of Ethnic Groups" held at Kakonhat under Godagari Upazila of the district yesterday. Anagrasar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (ASUS) and District Public Policy Forum jointly organised the discussion to mark the International Women's Day-2014.
Omar Faruque Chowdhury, MP, and Kakonhat Pourasava Mayor Abdul Majid addressed the meeting as chief and special guests respectively with Kolpona Tirky, President of Sammilita Adibashi Nari Jote, in the chair.
Adviser of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad Anil Marandi and its District unit president Sushen Kumar Shayam Duar, ASUS Executive Director Raj Kumar Shaw and Freedom Fighter Nurul Islam also spoke.
Quoting various research findings the speakers told the discussion that there are at least 60 ethnic communities including santal, oraon, rajbangshi and mahali in the region.  They had started living after clearing the bushes and forests in the pre-historic era when the density of population was little.
But at present, various reasons like expansion of development process and rising of population are posing a serious threat to their living and livelihood condition, they stated.  Besides, the ethnic communities are started loosing their ancestral religious beliefs and cultural and language heritages.  Likewise, they are lag behind from the fundamental rights like education and healthcare.