Attack on indigenous students: Academics, activists call for swift justice 

Academic and right activists have called for swift legal action against those involved in the recent attack on students from ethnic minority groups.

They made the demand at a protest rally held today (19 January) in response to the removal of the word "Indigenous" from textbooks and the recent attacks on indigenous students.

At the Shahbagh rally, they demanded the constitutional recognition of indigenous people and the reinstatement of the removed graffiti in textbooks. 

Dipayan Khisa, a human rights activist, moderated the event, while Prof Zobaida Nasreen of Dhaka University Anthropology department said, "On the day Indigenous students were attacked, the term 'pluralism' was added to the constitution. The government must investigate who these groups are and what their motives are."

She further called for action, adding, "The graffiti must be reinstated within three days, and indigenous people must be recognised without delay."

Prof Robaet Ferdous of DU Mass Communication and Journalism department addressed the rally. 

He said, "When it is said, 'become Bengali,' that is an example of extreme nationalism. Those who refuse to recognise indigenous people as equal are separatists. Bangladesh is a country of plural ethnicities, religions, and languages, which is the true beauty of democracy. We must stop viewing indigenous people defensively."

Professor Ferdous also highlighted the broader climate of fear among minority communities, saying, "In Bangladesh, 1.5 crore Hindus and other religious minorities may not be directly attacked, but they live in constant fear. This fear impedes people's ability to function. Without sensitivity, this cannot be understood."

Speakers at the rally made six key demands: the swift arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack; proper medical treatment for all injured students; the identification and accountability of any groups that may have supported the attack; the inclusion of chapters on the history, culture, and heritage of Indigenous peoples in textbooks; an apology from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board for removing the term from textbooks; and a clear explanation from the authorities as to why law enforcement failed to prevent the attack.

Gajendra Nath Mahato, assistant general secretary of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum, said, "A government fell due to an anti-discrimination movement, but now a larger scale of discrimination is being created. Indigenous people lose land every day, and the land situation is worsening. The government has failed to address this discrimination in the past five months." 

Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Bangladesh Revolutionary Workers' Party, said the attack on Indigenous students was an assault on sovereignty.

Gono Forum leader Subrata Chowdhury warned that the attack was part of a larger trend, saying, "This is not an isolated incident. We cannot guarantee that such attacks won't happen again. The government is dismissing attacks on minorities as political incidents, which is unacceptable."

Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, condemned the removal of the term "Indigenous" from textbooks, calling it a sign of fascism. 

"The government stands on the blood of those who sacrificed for the July 24 movement. Removing 'Indigenous' for a few students' demands is shameful. If this isn't addressed, we will question if the government truly defends the spirit of the July movement," he said.