STAFF CORRESPONDENT

MN Larma was not only a leader of the indigenous communities but also of all oppressed people of the country, said noted rights activist Sultana Kamal yesterday.

She made the remark at an event marking MN Larma’s 40th death anniversary, organised by the MN Larma Death Anniversary Commemoration Committee, of which she is a convener.

MN Larma took the initiative of forming Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) in 1972 and became its founder secretary. He became an MP in 1973 and later PCJSS president.

“Today, what you are seeing is the lack of democracy and chaos in the country as we have failed to accept the individuality of each community of the country. Even Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said Bangalees and non-Bangalees are brothers. We have forgotten it, and due to this, we cannot accept the individuality of all the communities in the country,” she said.

She urged eminent directors to come forward to make a biopic of MN Larma so that young generation can be enlightened by his life, work and struggles.

Rashed Khan Menon, a lawmaker and president of the Bangladesh Workers Party, said, “MN Larma was a national leader. He did not talk about the rights of indigenous people only; he talked about all the oppressed people.”

Signing of the Chattogram Hill Track Peace Accord was thought to be the end of the long conflicts in the hill areas. Yet, the accord has not been fully implemented, while constitutional recognition has not been given to the indigenous people, Menon also said.

Moderated by Dhaka University Professor Rubaet Ferdous, Communist Party’s General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince, Jahangirnagar University teacher Snigdha Rezwan, journalist Abu Sayeed Khan, ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda, and Oikya Nap’s general secretary Asadullah Tarek spoke at the event, among others.