Any land survey before resolving the land disputes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) would drive out the entire indigenous community from their homes, said the representatives of indigenous people at a seminaryesterday.

Deputy leader of the parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, however, said the solution lies in land survey followed by dispute resolution.

While Shantu Larma, chairman of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, demanded amendment of the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2001 saying it contradicts the CHT Accord.

He also demanded termination of the current land commissioner forCHTterminghiminefficient

They were speaking at a national seminar on “Land rights of the Adivasis and their development" jointly organised by Association for Land Reform and Development and Bangladesh

Adivasi Forum to mark the International Indigenous People's Day2010atLGEDauditorium.

Santu Larma, also the chairman of the CHT Regional Council, said, "If the land survey is conducted before resolving disputes, the Adivasis would lose everything, and those who forcefully occupied our homestead will be the owners. ”

Santu Larma also demanded that the regional council should be imparted with its due power as mentioned in the CHT Accord to solve the land disputes.

Sajeda Chowdhury, also the convener of CHT Accord Implementation Committee, said, "Santu Larma should become a parliamentarian as requested by the prime minister. Then he can get the chance to speak about the problems of his community in the House."

Indigenous people, present at the seminar, also demanded exclusionof the word 'tribal' from all government papers and promoting the term Adivasi (indigenous). They also demanded

constitutional recognition.

Meanwhile, Dr Abdur Razzak, Minister for Food and Disaster Management ensured them to meet their demand and said it is time to mull over a separate commission to resolve theland disputes.

Chakma Chief Circle Raja Debasish Roy said land survey is not the responsibility of the land commission. Their responsibility is to resolve the disputes.

He urged the government to redefine the term secularism saying the word is now being applied in manythings, not only religion.

Among others, former justice Golam Rabbani, Sultana Kamal, former advisor to the caretaker government Promod Mankhin, State Minister for Culture Khushi Kabir, chairperson of Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) Barrister Sara Hossain, Samsul Huda, executive director of ALRD Sanjeev Drong and general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Prof Sadeka Halim spoke atthe seminar.