The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

The indigenous people should not be divided from the mainstream giving them an "identity of "Adivasi" and the indigenous people, especially the women should give equal rights at all level, said the speakers at a day long seminar held here recently.

The seminar titled "Indigenous Women : Role of Local Media" was organised by Mass-Line Media Center" (MMC) under a project of Raising Community Voice Through Media for the Restoration of Human Rights and Good Governance" at CARIT AS Regional office auditorium here.

Dr. Marufi Khan, Principal of Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam College was the main speaker on the occasion with Prof. Lila Roy in the chair.

Md. Mubarak Hossain, Pogramme Officer of MMC delivered the welcome - speech: After the' welcome speech, Rakhi Mrong, an indigenous journalist presented a key note Paper on the title of the seminar.

The speakers raised their voice against the deprivation of rights of the indigenous women. The indigenous women are not involved with politics and so there is no active voice to drum up their problems faced at various levels like the majority of the women of the country.

But there is no denying fact that for a total development of the country, the development of indigenous women is a crying need, the speakers also mentioned. In the male-dominated society, the women are oppressed and deprived of their basic needs and the indigenous women are the worst sufferers, they also stated at the seminar.

Speakers from the indigenous women urged the concerned authority to give them rights which is stated in" the country's constitution. Urging the indigenous women to be united to realise their dues. The speakers also demanded reserved seats in the parliament for indigenous women.

Urging the media people, the speakers also said that the media is a very influential factor for the country, so it can playa vital role in solving the indigenous people's problems prevailing for the decades together.

An open discussion session was also held. Jharna Chiran, Mukul Daru, Mu'kta Dafa, Nargis Ara, Chamely, Shefali, Zannatul Ferdous, Mir Al Hadi and journalists Khondaker Shaheen Afroz, Zillur Rahman Khan, Mosharraf Hossain, Shamsul Alam Khan, Jagadish Chandra Sarker took part in the discussion.