Bangladesh Adivasi Forum demanded quota for minority ethnic groups in first and second class government jobs as before. This demand was raised in the program on the occasion of International Adivasi Day at Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday.

Due to Corona, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum did not perform any centrally public event on Adivasi Day for the last two years. It is the largest organization of minority ethnic people in Bangladesh. The central event will start from 10 am on Tuesday. Leaders of various ethnic minority organizations, researchers, representatives of various national political parties, representatives of NGOs and social organizations participated in it. Leaders and workers of minority ethnic groups from different parts of the country attended the rally.

The theme of this year’s International Indigenous People’s Day is ‘The role of indigenous women in preserving and developing traditional knowledge.’ UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, ‘Women of minority ethnic groups are the holders of knowledge of traditional food systems and traditional medicine. Ethnic minority women champion indigenous languages ​​and preservation. They play a leading role in protecting the environment and protecting the human rights of minorities.

Ujjal Azim, the leader of the minority ethnic group, presented 11 points of demand and declaration in the central event of Adivasi Day today. According to the declaration, the people of ethnic minorities are passing through a transitional period. This government made Chittagong Hill Tracts. Even after 24 years, the fundamentals of the agreement have not been implemented. Land Commission was not formed despite promises made for the minor ethnicities of the plains.

Today on World Indigenous People’s Day, the Indigenous Forum presents 11 points of demand. One of these was reservation of quotas for minorities in government jobs as before. Apart from this, the implementation of admission quota in various educational institutions along with other jobs is also demanded.

In 2018, the government canceled the existing quota for government jobs in grades 9 to 13 (class I and class II). After a long agitation by the students and job seekers, the cabinet took the final decision to cancel the existing quota in the government jobs of grade 9 to 13. Through this, the quota system which existed for 46 years in the first and second class government jobs, was cancelled. However, from the beginning, the organizations of small ethnic groups were opposing the government’s decision. Today, that claim was raised again. Today, the 11-point demands raised along with the restoration of quota in jobs are:

1. Constitutional recognition should be given along with the right to self-determination.
2. Political, social, cultural, economic and land rights must be ensured.
3. The rights and safety of women of minority ethnic groups must be ensured.
4. The Mountain Accord must be properly implemented. For this purpose, schedule based roadmap should be announced. The Land Commission Act should be implemented immediately.
5. A separate ministry and land commission should be formed for the small ethnic groups of the plains.
6. No ecopark, social forestry, tourism, EPZ or any other project shall be taken up and implemented on the lands of the minority communities without their free consent.
7. All false cases must be withdrawn immediately, including the persecution of minority ethnic groups.
8. The United Nations General Assembly adopted in 2007 ‘Declaration on Indigenous People’ and ILO Convention No. 169 ratification and ILO Convention 107 must be implemented.
9. Special quotas or seats should be reserved for minority ethnic groups in the National Parliament.
10. Quota should be reserved as before in first class in government jobs and quotas for admission to various educational institutions along with other jobs should be properly implemented.
11. International Day of Indigenous Peoples should be celebrated nationally