For the first time since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, a member of the ethnic Bawm community has collected a nomination form to stand for a general election.
Nathan Bawm, of Ruma upazila of Bandarban, will be standing as an independent candidate for the 300th parliamentary seat in Bandarban in the upcoming 11th general election.
According to local sources, Nathan has a Master's degree from the Fine Arts Department of Dhaka University. He is the founding member and President of Kuki-Chin National Development Organization (KNDO)—an organization founded to unify the neglected Kuki-Chin-Zo tribes living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Aside from publishing a book about the study of Kuki-Chin-Zo tribes, titled "The Bawmzos", Nathan has also authored six other books, making him popular as an author among the locals.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Nathan said: "I am standing as an independent candidate to establish peace among the ethnic communities, reduce the division between Bangalis and the ethnic minorities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and to end discrimination—by establishing equality among the multiracial zones in the hill tracts."
He has been preparing to stand in the election for the last five years, by helping the disadvantaged ethnic communities, Nathan said.
Nathan purchased his nomination form at the Bandarban district Election Commission office on November 18. He will declare his final decision to partake in the polls on November 28, the deadline for submitting nomination forms.
The 300th parliamentary seat in Bandarban has 246,183 voters.
The Bawm community in Bandarban is one of the 11 ethnic communities in Bangladesh. With a population of 11,637 people, Bawms live in 70 villages of the Ruma, Thanchi, Rwoangchhari, and Bandarban Sadar upazilas. They are mostly followers of Christianity, and speak in their own local dialect.
