Policy execution shortfall pushing Adivasis out

Lands of indigenous people are being grabbed unabated in Chapainawabganj's Nachole upazila as the government policies and legislation in this regard are not being fully implemented, says a survey of the Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples.

It also stated that the employment quota for the indigenous communities is not being enforced.

The findings were revealed with some recommendations at "Human Rights Assessment on Plain Land Indigenous Peoples: National Level Sharing Meeting on Field Visit to Nachole in Chapai Nawabganj by the Fact Finding Mission" at The Daily Star Centre yesterday.

Supported by UNDP and assisted by Research Development Collective (RDC), Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples conducted the three-day survey from December 18 to December 20 in Nachole, an area of at least 12 indigenous communities.

The recommendations include implementation of policies and laws to protect the rights and interest of indigenous communities, enforcement of the employment quota, ensuring punishment for the land grabbers, passage of the Bangladesh Indigenous Rights Bill, and constitutional recognition of the communities.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque told the programme that it was not possible to recover and protect their lands under the existing laws. It is also necessary to formulate a separate land commission for the plain land indigenous peoples, he said.

Fazle Hossain Badsha, convener of the Parliamentary Caucus, said the land officers concerned had to be provided special training to deal with the matter.

Maybelline Massey, professional consultant, UNDP Bangladesh, read out the report.

Prof Mesbah Kamal, technocrat member and coordinator, Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples; Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs; lawmaker Kazi Rosy; Prosecutor Rana Das Gupta, among others, spoke. RDC general serectary Zannat-E-Ferdousi moderated the programme.