Constitutional recognition of the indigenous people, formation of a separate land commission for them and introduction of primary education in their mother language must be ensured to establish their rights, speakers at a view change meeting said yesterday.

Although some progress regarding the issue of indigenous people have been made in the last couple of years, they are still neglected and deprived in all sectors, the speakers said.

They also called on all to make concerted efforts and launch a movement to protect the rights of the ethnic community.

Bangladesh Adivasi odhikar Andolan and Bangladesh Adivasi Forum jointly organised the meeting at the National Press Club in the city

ahead of the International Indigenous People's Day to be observed on August 9.

Prof Mesbah Kamal said indigenous people are still facing discrimination in every sector, including education and employment.

Despite their significant contribution to the Liberation War, they are yet to get constitutional recognition, a longstanding demand of the community, he said.

"No successive governments observed the International Indigenous People's Day at the national level and even the present government is yet to take any measure in this regard, although it has been being observed for the last 13 years," Prof Mesbah said.

Golam Murtaza, acting editor of the Shaptahik 2000, said the media have been playing a major role in raising awareness about the rights of ethnic community and they have

to do it more and more.

Rabindranath Soren, an indigenous rights activist, said a sense of insecurity has gripped the ethnic people living in the northern region as the forest department has acquired 6,500 acres of lands of the minority community in the name of afforestation and filed several hundred cases against them.

Development of indigenous people is not possible without support from the government, he said.

Secretary of Bangladesh Adibashi Forum Sanjib Drong said the rights of indigenous people would not be established unless democratic, secular and progressive people come to power.

Bazlur Rahman, Prof Hayat Mahmud, Sanaullah Lavlu and Sohrab Hasan also spoke at the meeting.