The Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) demanded not to start academic activities at Rangamati Medical College without implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts treaty.
They also demanded punishment of people who attacked activists of the PCP on Saturday.
They made the demands from a rally held at Aparejeyo Bangla on Dhaka University campus yesterday.
Prior to holding the rally, the leaders and activists of the organisation brought out a procession on the campus.
They urged the government not to start functioning of a medical college and a technology university in Rangamati before fully implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace treaty.
The speakers also made the government responsible for the attack on PCP activist on Saturday.
Around 30 were injured when activists of indigenous students’ group Pahari Chhatra Parishad and pro-Awami League organisations clashed over the inauguration of the medical college on that day.
The Rangamati district unit Awami League and BCL men attacked on PCP activists while they were observing a peaceful blockade programme to press home their demands. Jemson Amly president of the PCP Dhaka City unit said: “The settlers continuously attacking on indigenous people. On that day, the settlers attacked on a Chakma with lethal weapon although administration imposed section 144 in the district.”
Speaking at the demonstration rally, Shulav Changma Dhenga, organising secretary of the PCP Dhaka city unit, said: “If the hill administration failed to protest basic rights of indigenous people the indigenous will take weapon in hands to protect their due rights”.
He claimed that the government’s motive behind establishing the universities in Rangamati was a conspiracy to grab the land of indigenous people in the name of better study opportunities.
He said: “According to hill tracts treaty the government must negotiate with the representatives of the indigenous communities before making any decision regarding Hill-tract districts. But the government, defying the hill tracts treaty, has planned to set up two universities in Rangamati”.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated the academic activities of 11 new public medical colleges, aiming to fulfill the country’s huge demand for physicians to provide better medical services to the people.
