Equal society not possible by ignoring rights of Urdu-speaking community: Economist Anu Muhammad

It is not possible to build an equal society in the country while ignoring the rights of the Urdu-speaking community, Economist Anu Muhammad said today (19 May).

The constitution promises a dignified life, from which the Urdu-speaking population remains deprived, he said during a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity to mark the official launch of the Bangladesh Urdu-Speaking Rights Movement, reads a press release.

He added that the ruling elite have long used the Bengali-Bihari divide as a strategy for exploitation, with the Urdu-speaking community being the unfortunate victims. 

He also noted that the then Pakistani government exploited the Bihari community, the consequences of which were tragically evident in 1971.

During the event, the organisation's President Majid Iqbal and General Secretary Mehnaz Akhtar jointly presented the declaration and list of demands.

The declaration of the Bangladesh Urdu-Speaking Rights Movement states that, through a 2008 High Court ruling, all Urdu-speaking residents in Bangladesh were recognised as citizens of the country. Based on that ruling, the Urdu-speaking community received their national identity cards and the right to vote as responsible citizens, which they have been exercising in both local and national elections.

Despite decades of independence, around 300,000 Urdu-speaking people living in 116 camps across nine districts, including Dhaka, are still deprived of modern, basic human facilities and are forced to live under inhumane conditions. The number of camp residents has increased significantly, although the camp areas have remained the same. As a result, multiple generations are forced to live in a single small room.

Alongside the declaration, eight demands were presented to improve the living conditions and rights of Urdu-speaking camp residents, which included ensuring dignified rehabilitation of Urdu-speaking camp residents through proper measures.

No camp should be evicted until rehabilitation is completed, and all necessary facilities in the camps must be ensured, they demanded, including access to government jobs and educational institutions for the Urdu-speaking population.

They demanded providing safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities, taking measures to eliminate the overcrowded, unhygienic, and filthy conditions in the camps, and including Urdu-speaking camp residents in the government's social safety net programmes.

They sought establishment of  government-run community clinics in the camps to ensure access to healthcare, and setting up of government schools adjacent to the camps and providing special education programs suited to camp residents.

Attendees of the event included, Sujit Chowdhury, Sadakat Khan Fakku, Ahmed Ibrahim, Ruhi Naz, and Rafique Ahmed Siraji, among others.