‘Reduce discrimination in CHT’
Staff Correspondent
Leaders of Parbatya Chattagram Bangalee Krishak Sramik Kalyan Parishad have urged the caretaker government to take initiatives to reduce discrimination between Bangalees and indigenous people in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The Parishad, an alliance of Bangalee farmers and workers of CHT, made the call at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium yesterday. In a written statement, Parishad President Mostafa Haider Chowdhury highlighted the discriminations that the CHT Bangalees are facing in different sectors including administration, rehabilitation and employment . The Bangalees are often deprived of basic human rights and fell victims to discrimination due to absence of Bangalee representative at the highest level of district and regional council where the post of chairman is reserved for indigenous people, he added. Mostafa called for the creation of a post of vice-chairman in the council which will be reserved for a Bangalee. He said the membership in the council should be distributed on the basis of the number of population instead of community. He also demanded the withdrawal of special quota for indigenous people in educational institutions and public services, and urged the authorities concerned to introduce hill tracts quota to resolve discrimination in education and employment sector. The speakers also called for taking initiatives to start functioning of the judge court in hill tracts where court building and residence of the judges have already been established. Abdul Awal, general secretary of the Parishad, also spoke.
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