Bangladesh Minority Non-Muslim Plight 2014

Bangladesh Human Right’s Alliance Program report

Minorities Are declining from their ancestral land of Bangladesh

Alliance program at Dhaka Daily Star Auditorium on 18.11.2014

 Grabbing of ancestral lands by outsiders is a major cause of violence against minority communities in the country, right activists claimed at the launching of a survey report in the capital on 18.11.2014 at the daily start Bhanvan, Kowranbazar. The Groups of Human Rights Alliances those who were tirelessly working for the protection of rights’ violence against Minorities were present & three groups of minorities such as “Indigenous Minority” Lesbian Minority and Religious Minorities exhibited their separate presentations. The Bangladesh minority watch President Adv Rabindra Ghosh presided over the conference. The various intellectuals, writers, journalists and professor of Dhaka University were present over there.

 “Leaders of almost every political party want to displace the people of minority communities to occupy their  lands. the politics of land grabbing should be stopped ’”Said  Shaktipada Tripura’ organizing secretary of Parbatya Chattagram jana Sahati Samiti, a political party based in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The survey conducted by Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) throughout the country of Bangladesh. According to BDMW a total of 5,050 people from minority communities were displaced; 3,128 houses belonging to Hindu families were looted and destroyed;1,699 Hindu temples were demolished or vandalized; 706 Hindu girls were forcefully converted to Islam,392 minority women and children  were  gnag-raped & raped and 402 people from minority groups were killed during  2007to 2014. The rights organization working for the protection of minorities in Bangladesh disseminated the information at a national on the human rights situation of the country’s minority peoples. Yes the others minority groups  like Adibashi, tribal and Ahmediya groups are also included for the fact finding to fill the void of the data sources. 

 The Survey figures are based on research conduction by the organization, newspaper reports, Ain O Salish Kendra( ASK ) data and police cases and others media. “communal forces carry out the attacks we see that all parities are united when it comes to looking Hindu houses,” Prof Chandan Kumar Sarkar, a faculty member at the economics department of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), said while presenting a keynote paper and also he is the acting vice president of the Bangladesh minority watch of Bangladesh. The report reflects that each and every political party is come to power and it is continuous phenomenon that the minorities are affected. They are often forcefully converted in Islam, raped and killed due to religious fundamentalism.  The religious places or temples are demolishing all most each and every day in the country. Lastly he concluded that if there is injustice in anywhere that means it is threat to justice to everywhere in Bangladesh. 

“First of all, we have to have a clear notion about the definition of minority”, Said Robaet Ferdous, associate professor at Dhaka University’s mass communication and journalism department. Mr. Ferdous Said a state should be impartial not only about religion, it should be unbiased regarding gender, ethnicity and language as  well. On the other hand veteran journalist Syed Abul Maksud pointed out that the government should include representatives of minority groups when formulating policies. However, the communalism is thriving under the aegis of the state, so it is very difficult to combat communalism individually.”

 Highlighting the importance of social media, Nayeemul Islam Khan, editor of Bangla daily Amader Orthoneeti, said, “There is no way we can deny the power social media can be a strong tool to spread news of minority right violations.”The program was organized by Human Rights Alliance Bangladesh, a coalition of civil society groups working for the rights of marginalized communities in Bangladesh, in association with Global Human Rights Defense based in the Netherlands at The Daily Star auditorium.  Advocate Rana Das-Gupta – Secretary General of Bangladesh Hindu Boudda Christian Oikkya Parishad (BHBCOP) said it is impossible to practice democracy keeping “Islam as State Religion” in the Constitution of Bangladesh. Human rights organizations should come forward with sincere efforts so that fundamentalism should be eradicated.  Dr.  Sukomal Barua – Professor of Pali Department of Dhaka University also highlighted the issues relating to communal incidents which ought to have been uprooted by the present government with iron hands. But ironically it was not done by those rulers.     

The international Human rights organization GHRD high officials Mr. Ranjeev gorwi is the board member and Ms Nazli T was the human rights officer were present on that occasion inaugurated the Alliance.   Lastly, they provide information and short briefing for the local organizations. Mr. Ghosh thanked all the participants in the program outcomes for successful event.

Paper cutting included: Daily Independent Newspaper.

The media highlighted the issues and published most of the dailies/TV in Bangladesh on 19^th of November,2014.

 Through :

 Adv. Rabindra Ghosh

Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW)

12, K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully, Wari PS, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

 

 

 

Colonization of Non-Muslim Indigenous Tribal Land

Bangladesh Chittagong Hill Tracts Indigenous Non-Muslim Tribal Area

Deputy Commission of Bandarban issued unlawful letter to Headmen

On 23 September 2009 Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bandarban district Mr. Mizanur Rahman issued a letter to all Headmen of Bohmong circle ordering not to issue any land deed to any person without permission from him. Issuance of this letter is contradictory to the rights of indigenous Jumma peoples in CHT. He also threatened that Headman would be removed from his headmanship if any Headman handed over such deed.

It is mentionable that according to Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation of 1990, Headmen of CHT region have the rights to give settlement of 0.30 acre of land to any mouza resident and accordingly to issue land deed to him.
It is also worth mentioning that the land lands under the jurisdiction of mouza are regarded as common property of mouza residents. The common lands are those which belong to the indigenous community with shared rights of access. The indigenous people have right to these lands and its resources, by virtue of their common ownership of these areas, and traditional economic activities such as fishing, hunting and gathering are carried out in these areas. Jum lands fall within this category, as do the lands used for orchards, grazing and for growing sun grass (used to make thatched roofs). The forests are also included within this category of mouza commons, and are the common property pf the indigenous community with equal rights of access, use and extraction.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban issued this letter violating the rights of indigenous Jumma peoples and rights & responsibilities of Headmen. He one-sidedly claimed these lands as state-owned. He also indiscriminately alleged against the Headmen to have involved with corruption.
DC also issued a letter to Mr. Loyal Devid Bawm, a member of CHT Regional Council to stop construction of building for tribal museum at Shita Pahar (Chimbuk-Thanchi road) of Pantala mouza under Ruma upazila in Bandarban district. He claimed that construction of building on government land without permission is illegal. However, Mr. Bawm got permission/ recommendation from Mr. Lumlai Mro, Headman of Pantala mouza & local Jumma villagers and accordingly applied for registration for this land.
Local residents believed that DC of Bandarban district starts these activities when the possibility of functioning of land commission for resolution of land disputes in CHT is seen.

Please find the two letters of DC of Bandarban district.

-- Kapaeeng Foundation House # 13/14, Babar Road, Block # B, Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207E-mail: kapaeeng.watch@gmail.com, kapaeeng.foundation@micico.ch
October 04, 2009

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