Members of the Dalit community in Bangladesh have demanded representation in parliament to ensure its constitutional rights, including healthcare and education.
They voiced their demand at a roundtable discussion titled “Opportunities for the 12th Parliament: Citizen Recommendations for Sustainable Development” on Sunday. Promoting Advocacy and Rights (PAR) Activity, implemented by Counterpart International and funded by USAID, hosted the event.
Representatives of the community said there were nearly 10 million Dalit people belonging to different “low-caste” communities in the country. However, they were being deprived of their basic rights due to the absence of political representation in any governing body, including parliament, they added.
Dalit rights activist Bikash Kumar said he believed it was necessary to reserve a parliamentary constituency for the community.
Jatiya Party lawmaker Shameem Haider Patwary said he would raise the issue in parliament if reelected.
Asked about the Awami League’s promise of forming a minority commission in its last election manifesto, which remains unfulfilled, party lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury said it was not possible to say in advance whether there would be a similar promise in the manifesto for the upcoming election.
However, he said, he would work on a personal level to ensure their rights.
PAR Chief of Party Katie Croake said: “I’m proud that our partners are focusing on important issues facing their communities and am encouraged that policymakers appreciate and want to continue working with PAR’s network to address citizen priorities.”
The discussion also highlighted some pressing concerns of citizens and made several recommendations, including ensuring constitutional rights of and access to social empowerment for marginalized communities, including the Dalits; investing in smart and sustainable urbanization to safeguard the wellbeing of all citizens; and strengthening environmental protection by reducing air, noise and water pollution.
