Speakers at a seminar in Dhaka on Sunday called for coordinated and effective initiatives to ensure indigenous peoples’land rights and protect biodiversity, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without safeguarding both indigenous communities and natural ecosystems.
They said that the government, civil society organisations and local communities must work together to establish the legitimate land rights of indigenous peoples and conserve biodiversity and natural resources.
The remarks were made at the seminar organised by the Bangladesh Agro-Ecology Platform (BAP) project at the Caritas Development Institute auditorium in the capital.
Presiding over the event, Caritas Bangladesh Executive Director Daud Jibon Das said that indigenous land rights and biodiversity protection were important components of national development.
He added that implementation of the recommendations presented at the seminar could contribute significantly to protecting indigenous land rights, promoting social justice and conserving biodiversity.
Former adviser to the interim government Farida Akhter expressed concern over incidents of harassment and oppression faced by indigenous communities. She alleged that the renaming of various aspects of indigenous identity amounted to a form of cultural genocide and urged authorities to stop the practice.
She also criticised the establishment of eco-parks in indigenous areas, claiming that such projects often violate human rights and damage the environment and local ecosystems.
Farida Akhter expressed hope that the current government would take prompt measures to ensure the protection of indigenous peoples, including securing their land rights.
National Pension Authority Executive Chairman Dr Md Suratuzzaman said that indigenous communities were increasingly vulnerable due to climate change and other factors.
He stressed the need to ensure their protection and establish their land rights, noting that constitutional obligations exist in this regard.
He added that the government was taking steps on the is issue.
The keynote paper was presented by Sanjeeb Drong, president of Indigenous Peoples Development Services (IPDS), who outlined a 15-point set of recommendations on indigenous land rights and biodiversity conservation.
Among the recommendations were recognition of traditional indigenous land rights, formation of a separate land commission for indigenous peoples living in the plains, and making free, prior and informed consent mandatory before undertaking any project that could affect indigenous livelihoods and communities.
The seminar was moderated by Caritas Bangladesh senior official Ms Myentthein Promila.
Bangladesh Agricultural University Professor Dr Kazi Kamrul Islam, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Associate Professor Dr Shilpi Kundu, BARCIK Director and Researcher Pavel Partha, Bangladesh Krishak Foundation President Md Badrul Alam, Caritas Bangladesh Programme Director Apurbo Mrong, and Manager Subhas A Gomez, among others, also addressed the event.
