Diversity is what makes a society vibrant, more robust and culturally rich. Different faiths, practices and cultures of a diverse groups of people, coming together, make our motherland, Bangladesh unique in its character, beautiful in its nature, and an example to the rest of the world. Bangladesh is home to more than 54-55 different groups of indigenous people, majority of whom live in the CHT area. Since independence of Bangladesh, the rights of these groups of people living in the remote hilly areas of the country have been questioned by them and by various human rights organizations of the world. Due to the remoteness of the locations that they live in, terrorism, smuggling, and formation of various extremist organizations have made their lives more difficult.
Recently, in the capital city of Dhaka, under broad daylight a group of indigenous students came under brutal attack by a group named "Student for sovereignty". They were holding a peaceful protest against the decision of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board. The NCTB removed a graffiti carrying the word 'Adivasi' from the back cover of the Bangla grammar book for the Classes IX and X, following demand from a group named Students for Sovereignty.
More than a dozen, mostly students were injured in two attacks by the Students for Sovereignty in front of the NCTB Bhaban on January 15 in police presence. There are allegations that the police stood silent due to this "Students for sovereignty" group's "alleged" tie with the extremist elements surrounding the current interim government. What makes it more perplexing to this writer is the absolute silence of the prominent human rights organizations of the world regarding this attack on the indigenous people.
According to the 2011 census conducted by the Government of Bangladesh, the country's indigenous population comprises approximately 1,586,141, 1.8% of the country's total population while indigenous peoples in Bangladesh claim that their population is approximately 5 million. Approximately 80% of the indigenous population lives in the flatland districts of the north and southeast of the country, while the rest reside in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In Chittagong Hill Tracts, indigenous peoples are commonly known as Jummas for their crop rotation agriculture, known locally as Jum.
Majority of the people in Bangladesh are highly moderate and secular in their practice. In Bangladesh, a Muslim person can enjoy a cup of coffee with an "indigenous person" without flaunting any hatred, negligence or extreme remarks to the minority person and vice-versa. However, since the transition from the previous Awami league government to the next, there have been alarming rise of extremist elements in the country. And there have been allegations that these elements under the disguise of different political umbrellas penetrated the interim government.
The fallen Awami league government is the first to sign the CHT peace accord in 1997 with a goal to ensure rights of these indigenous people, to provide them with opportunities that ameliorate their conditions and to provide them with an environment where they don't feel threatened of extinction by the huge presence of Bangladesh military. However, protecting the national security of the country without causing detrimental effects to the lives of these groups has been a challenge for all the governments that came to power since independence.
What is raising more fear in the mind of the indigenous people is the current interim government's action that followed the attacks on them in September of last year in the hill tract region and more recently in the capital. If under broad daylight, under police and heavy media presence, in the capital city, they come under such heinous attack, what happens in the remote areas to them where media presence is minimal, is a very logical question asked by them.
The constitution of Bangladesh doesn't recognize these groups as "Indigenous people" while they demand that they be recognized as such. However, it guarantees affirmative action for indigenous peoples and prohibits discrimination inter alia on grounds of race, religion or place of birth. Article 23A of the constitution states, "the State shall take steps to protect and develop the unique local culture and tradition of the tribes, minor races, ethnic sects and communities". It also spells out in Article 28 (4), "nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making special provision in favour of women or children or for the advancement of any backward section of citizens". So, they demand a special provision that will recognize them as Indigenous people.
Now a question may arise, who are "Indigenous" people? Even though an official definition of "indigenous" has not been adopted by any UN-system body, the system has developed a modern understanding of this term. Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. The land and natural resources on which they depend are inextricably linked to their identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as their physical and spiritual well-being. Rather than being defined by some authority, the idea of being indigenous is more about self-identification, having ancestors that lived in a land prior to the traditional settlers. And it is shocking to this writer that the "indigenous people" in Bangladesh are not recognized as such by the constitution even though majority of the population of the country know them as "indigenous".
Attack on unarmed, innocent protesting citizen, no matter what religion, race, or creed they belong to is an attack to all humanity. When the bloody photo of a female student, beaten to the ground suddenly appears on the screen of social media while scrolling, it surely stuns any sound human mind. When the law enforcement members stand silent, failing to protect the basic rights of our sister, allegedly fearing repercussions from the interim government, the intention of the government comes under question.
The civil society, the students and our beloved generation Z must wake up before it is too late. The repeated allegations of the ties of the interim government to extremist elements, and the consequent violence, and lawlessness that is the present reality of the country must not be overlooked. Bangladesh is the land of harmony, and on this land a girl who looks different, talks different, lives in a different remote region has no less right than a girl living in the capital city. It is the duty of each citizen of the country to ensure that no evil force can disturb the harmony. The interim government must take into consideration the demand of the indigenous people and must ensure equal opportunities for all.
The writer is an Aerospace Engineer, Spirit Aerosystems, Wichita, KS
