Indigenous people deprived more in 2014: report

Civil and political rights of the indigenous people worsened in 2014, according to ‘The Human Rights Report 2014 on Indigenous Peoples’ published by Kapaeeng Foundation on Friday

The frequency of violation of civil and political rights to people of the ethnic minority in Bangladesh intensified further during last year, a report published today said.

• 15 belonging to the ethnic minority killed
• 122 women, girls subjected to sexual and physical violence
• Eminent citizens concerned over rights violation

At least 15 people belonging to the ethnic minority were killed allegedly by Bengali settlers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and the plains, the report titled “The Human Rights Report 2014 on Indigenous Peoples” said.

The report, prepared by Kapaeeng Foundation on the basis of news reports, was launched in the capital's The Daily Star Centre today.

“Eight men and seven indigenous women were killed in 2014,” said Pallab Chakma, executive director of the Kapaeeng Foundation, said in the programme.

According to the report, 122 indigenous women and girls were subjected to sexual and physical violence in 2014. Previous year the figure stood at 67, it added.

“The frequencies of violation of civil and political rights against indigenous peoples in Bangladesh have further intensified during 2014,” said the report.

Addressing the programme, eminent rights activist Sultana Kamal expressed grave concern on the human rights violation as justice was not served to the victims in this regard.

“If the situation goes on like this, people will be deprived from their citizen rights – which is against the spirit of Liberation War of the country,” she said.