The National Citizen Party (NCP) has launched an associate organisation for Dalit, Harijan, Scheduled Caste and other marginalised communities, named ‘Jatiya Janajati Jote’, at an inaugural programme at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Saturday.
NCP Member Secretary and Member of Parliament Akhter Hossen attended as chief guest, announcing the 11-member convening committee of the new organisation.
NCP Joint Chief Coordinator Bhimpalli David Raju has been made convener, while party Joint Chief Coordinator Kailash Chandra Rabidas has been appointed member secretary. Rajendra Kumar Das has been named senior joint convener, Aruna Rani Das senior joint member secretary, and Hriday Das organising secretary.
Leaders from Dalit, Harijan and Scheduled Caste communities presented a 14-point charter of demands at the event, including:
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Constitutional recognition for Dalit, Scheduled Caste and Harijan communities
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Formulation and implementation of the Anti-Discrimination Act-2023 with amendments
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State recognition for freedom fighters from these communities
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Proportional representation in all state and social structures, including parliament
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Protection of rights in education and employment as backward sections
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Permanent housing with ownership rights for landless communities
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Reforming land use and waterbody management policies to be inclusive
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Proper education about Dalit communities in primary school syllabuses
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State patronage for preservation of their languages and cultures
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Ethnographic surveys to determine accurate population figures
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Formation of a specialised commission for their rights
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Government construction or renovation of religious worship places
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Making the National Health Policy-2011 inclusive for these communities
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Specific directives for representation in local government elections
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Ending outsourcing and providing permanent employment for sanitation workers
Akhter Hossen said, “This country belongs to everyone. Everyone will receive civic facilities and equal rights. Dalit, Harijan, Rabidas, Adivasi, tea community — everyone will get their rights, everyone will get equal dignity.”
He noted that had these communities not sided with this country, the map of present-day Bangladesh would have been even smaller, and expressed support for the 14-point demands.
NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb said, “The day the Dalits get their rights, no one else in this country will remain deprived of rights.” He said the party wants these communities to represent themselves, which is the impetus behind the launch.
NCP Joint Member Secretary and Cell Secretary for Marginalised Communities Molla Md Faruk Eshan Shubhro said that according to government figures, there are 65 lakh Dalit people in the country, or approximately 1.5 crore according to private estimates.
“They contribute to the country’s service sector, they give everything, but when it comes to receiving civic facilities, they remain invisible. This community has been kept under structural discrimination for thousands of years. NCP is the first political party to have integrated this community into mainstream politics,” he said.
