Constitutional recognition of ethnic minorities as indigenous demanded

The ethnic minority students on Wednesday demanded that the constitution recognise their communities as indigenous people.

This recognition is the prerequisite for all citizens, irrespective of which community they come from, to get an equal treatment in all spheres of life in the state, they said. 

They said these in a debate jointly organised by the Bangladesh Indigenous Debate Federation and Institute for Environment and Development at the Dhaka University Teachers Students Centre.

Urging the government to stop calling them as 'tribal' people or 'small ethnic groups,' they said that their constitutional recognition as indigenous people would help end the existing discriminations among the communities. 

Around 12 speakers from as many ethnic minority communities participated in the debate on the topic 'my birth, my identity.'

Source : New Age