Stating this, speakers at various programmes yesterday demanded constitutional provisions guaranteeing rights of the indigenous people, and urged the government to ensure their right to property.

The national committee for celebration of 150th anniversary of the 'Santal Hool' (Santal revolution) organised the programmes.

Even 150 years after the Santal Hool, repression on Santals and other indigenous people is going on, speakers regretted.

During the British rule, two brothers from Santal community -- Sido Murmu and Kanhu Murmu-- mobilised Santal people for a movement demanding an end to repression of the colonial rulers and their local operatives, and for social justice. On June 30 in 1855, Sido and Kanhu launched a historic revolution against the British rulers and their local agents with around 10,000 Santals and other oppressed people from around the Santal parganas.

The Hool was brutally suppressed in 1856 but it brought about a dramatic change in the colonial ruler's policies, and gave birth to a new political consciousness among the indigenous people that still continues to grow.

Yesterday morning, a discussion on the occasion was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital. Sardar Fazlul Karim inaugurated it, Anil Marandi was in chair and Champai Soren, a war-injured freedom fighter, was chief guest. Discussants included personalities from different fields.

Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma, chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regional Council, spoke as chief guest at the second discussion held at the TSC auditorium in the afternoon.

Larma said the situation is very bad for indigenous people in the country, and their existence will be at stake if repression on them goes on. Bangladesh earned independence but that did not improve the CHT situation. Security forces' repression on indigenous people still continues as the occupation forces did earlier, he added.

Indigenous people have to continue their fight for their rights if they want to live like other citizens of the country, he said.

Other speakers stressed development of the indigenous people for proper development of the country.

They urged the government to include the Santal Hul in the curriculum.

Justice Habibur Rahman, former chief advisor of the caretaker government, was present as the chief guest at the concluding ceremony while poet Shamsur Rahman chaired it.

Santal community members from northern districts attended the programmes and brought out a rally in the afternoon.

In the evening, a traditional cultural programme was held at the TSC auditorium.