One hundred and eighty-one prominent citizens have demanded the recognition of indigenous people in the country's constitution and textbooks.
In a joint statement issued yesterday by the "Network for Democratic Bangladesh," the citizens condemned recent attacks on the indigenous communities.
In a five-point demand, the signatories called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the recent attacks on an indigenous assembly protesting the removal of the term "indigenous" from textbooks.
They demanded accountability for the authorities overseeing the police assault on the demonstration by the 'Aggrieved Student Community.'
They also condemned the removal of the term "indigenous" from textbooks by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) in response to demands from a "radical nationalist" group.
The signatories called for the reversal of the decision to remove "indigenous" from textbooks and for the NCTB chairman to issue a public apology.
The statement logged the participation of indigenous people from both hills and plains in the July-August uprising against "Awami fascism based on Bengali nationalism."
The statement further said that "radical nationalist" groups have escalated their incursions into indigenous areas following the uprising.
Additionally, they demanded constitutional recognition for indigenous people and a revision of terms such as "tribes" and "minor ethnic communities" to "indigenous," alongside provisions to preserve and develop indigenous languages, cultures, and heritage.
They also urged full endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) and effective measures to protect indigenous land rights.
The signatories include Prof Azfar Hossain of Grand Valley State University, Michigan; Dhaka University's Moshahida Sultana, writers and researchers Pavel Partha and Fahmidul Haque, architect Md Mazharul Haque, artist Amol Akash, writer and activist Rahat Mustafiz, and photographer Tanvir Murad Topu.
Source: The daily star