The International day of Indigenous People-2022 was observed in the district yesterday through active participation of the indigenous people here.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge’.

Marking the day, the Santal people, also known as tribal or indigenous community living at santalhabituated areas of Gobindaganjupazila in the district chalked out the elaborate programmes in cooperation with SahebganjBagda Farm Bhumi UddharSangram Committee, SamazikSangramParishad, civic organization Jana Uddyog Gaibandha.

In the morning around 11 AM, a big rally was brought out from Ganasus market and ended at the same venue after parading the main roads of the district town. A large number of people of Santal Community took part in the rally bearing banners and festoons inscribed with various demands.

Later, a discussion meeting was also held on the premises of the Ganasus with president of Bagda Farm Bhumi UddharSangram Committee PhilimonBaske in the chair.

Convener of AdibashiBangaliSanghatiParishad Adv. Sirajul Islam Babu, member secretary of JanoUddyogProbirChakrabartee, Adibashi women leaders PricilaMurmu, TrishnaMurmu, workers party leader MrinalKanti Barman, Tribal LeadersSuphalHembram, Thomas Hembram, NiranjanPahan, human rights activists GolamRabbani Musa and Anjali Rani Devi.

The speakers in their speeches said tribal people including Santals are still deprived in various ways in terms of human rights and quality of life across the country and that is why they are neglected people who lag behind the majority of the country.

The indigenous people of the main lands are on the verge of extinction, they also said.

“Not only the tribalsare disappearing from the main land, their culture and language are also disappearing, they added.

In this context, they demanded of the government to establish a separate ministry and land commission for the tribals of the main lands to bring them under the development of mainstream.

The programme was followed by a cultural event where the children of Santal community rendered songs and performed dances marking the day.