The country's indigenous community has lost nine women and over 700 houses over land disputes in the last 23 months, said a study of Kapaeeng Foundation, a human rights organisation of ethnic people.

Around 500 houses were destroyed and five

women were killed in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) alone while 216 more houses and four women perished in the plains. Besides the deceased, 19 indigenous females were raped while 15 kidnapped, the study revealed.

The study covered the cases between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2010. It was presented at a function styled Launching of the Human Rights Report 2009-10 on Indigenous People in Bangladesh, organised by the Kapaeeng Foundation in cooperation with Oxfam in the capital's National Planning Academy Auditorium.

Speaking as the chief guest in the programme Justice Golam Rabbani urged the government to establish an "Indigenous Academy" for promoting and patronising indigenous traditions and languages.

Fie said, "The constitution should be amended so that equal rights and dignity for indigenous communities are ensured."

Justice Rabbani also stressed formulation of a separate law to resolve the land disputes between the indigenous people and Bangalees.

Prof Syed Anwar Hussain censured the government for terming the indigenous community as "small ethnic group" in the existing act, which only recognise 27 communities.

He demanded formation of a taskforce comprised of experts on indigenous culture and tradition which would be acceptable to both the parties - the government and the indigenous community.

Prof Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University alleged that like the previous ones, the incumbent government has been reluctant to address the problems of these people. He also reiterated the demand for immediate implementation of CHT Peace Accord, 1997.

The Kapaeeng Foundation study also placed 37-point recommendation to end all sorts of discrimination to indigenous people, protect their rights and develop the indigenous society.

The recommendations include constitutional recognition of indigenous people ensuring land rights and reserved seats in the parliament.

Prof Dalem Chandra Barman of Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Dhaka University edited the study.

Nirupa Dewan, member of National Human Rights Commission, gave assurance of the best efforts in protecting the rights of indigenous people and stressed the need for creating mass awareness of human rights.

Rabindranath Soren, chair-person of Kapaeeng Foundation, its advisor Mangai Kumar Chakma, Country Director for Oxfam Gareth Price-Jones, among others, also spoke at the programme.