Dalit and excluded community members in a human chain rally in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall of the city Barisal on Friday demanded constitutional recognition and end of discrimination by birth, colour and profession.
They also said “only laundry should be separated by colour” and stressed on implementing constitutional anti-discriminative and anti-apartheids directives to influence developments of socio-economic structures in the country.
The programme was organised by Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) in cooperation with Nagorik Udyog to observe March 21, the International Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day.
Lalit Das, District President BDREM presided over and Uttam Kumar Vakto, central organizing secretary, Ananda Robi, leaders BDERM, Advocate Suvash Chandra Bipro Bedanti, right activists, Advocate, A K Azad of CPB, addressed the programme.
According to an unofficial estimate, there are around 5.5 to 7 million suppressed and social outcasts known as Dalits and excluded community members with only 5 percent literacy, 10 percent schooling and 95 percent dropout rates in Bangladesh, the speakers said.
The Constitution of Bangladesh, Article 27,28(1,2,4) and 29(1-3), 1972, declared that state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, ethnicity’s or place of birth or profession, they participants reminded.
However in reality Dalits, Excluded and other minority communities across the country continue to experience caste discrimination, social exclusion and practices linked to untouchability during participating in political, economic, social and cultural life, they said.
Speakers also called formation of a Dalit Commission to ensure the rights for Dalit and excluded community and an act declaring caste-based discrimination as a punishable offence.
The community leaders demanded an end to eviction of Dalits and Excluded communities from their colonies, allotment of khas land, recognition of their role in liberation war, special cell in the Human Rights Commission, representation in the parliament, special provision, quotas and budgetary allocation in different sectors of society, profession, education, health, housing and institutions, providing, social protection schemes and social safety nets until end of caste discrimination, associated practices of untouchability and segregation.
Mentionable UN commemorative the day since 1966 in memory of the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa of 1960. At least 69 black anti-apartheid protesters including eight women and ten children killed and 180 people injured after South African armed police opened fire on peaceful anti-apartheid demonstrators who had arrived at a police station to offer themselves up for arrest for not carrying their hated passbooks.
