Criticising the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNR Nagorik Oikko Convenor Mahmudur Rahman Manna yesterday said the two major political parties only crave power and do not consider the welfare of the people.

“Our ruling party is failing to understand the people's reactions while the opposition is doing politics not for the welfare of the people but for power,” the former AL leader said.

Manna also alleged that since independence the state has been continuously trying to make the jummo people 'Bangalee' without taking effective measures to protect their rights.

Addressing as chief guest, Manna made the remarks at the discussion organised by Coalition of D)cal NGOs, Bangladesh (CLNB) at the Jatiya Press Club ahead of the International Indigenous Day.

Without taking any stable position on the issue of minority, the government's ban on observing International Indigenous Day is condemnable, Manna said.

Harun-or-Rashid, chairman of CLNB, alleged that a group of people at home and abroad are trying to divide the majority of Bangladeshi people and the minority communities by making the term indigenous a debatable issue but the minority communities also took part in the Liberation War to free the country.

Beyond the debate on indigenous communities, it is necessary to ensure land rights of the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts and the plain lands, said Subal Sarkar, general secretary of Bangladesh Landless Association.

Prof Mamtazuddin Patwari, a teacher of Bangladesh Open University, said the jummo communities should focus on their development by coming to the mainstream using government facilities without engaging in die controversy of indigenous or minority communities.

Nargis Jahan Banu, director of non-government organisation Proshika, Saiful Islam Shishir, a development worker, Prof RatonTanu Ghosh, a teacher of Mohammadpur central university college, spoke among others.