Rangamati, Aug 28 (V7N) - In Rangamati, thousands of students and citizens took to the streets to protest against the ongoing discrimination faced by Bengali residents in the hill tracts and to denounce domestic and international conspiracies. The rally called for an equitable distribution of opportunities in higher education, government jobs, and various administrative bodies in the hill tracts, emphasizing the need for fairness.

The protest began at 11:30 a.m. from the municipal premises of Rangamati, where participants, carrying posters and banners against discrimination, blocked the Rangamati-Chattogram road. The march proceeded through major roads, including the Bonrupa area, and ended at the Rajbari Gymnasium grounds, where a grand rally was held.

The rally was organized by the central committee of the Parbatya Chattagram Student Council (PCSC). Central Vice-President Md. Asif Iqbal and General Secretary Md. Habib Azam chaired the event, with Kazi Mojibur Rahman, Central Chairman of the Hill Tracts Citizens' Forum, as the chief guest. The keynote address was delivered by the central General Secretary, Alamgir Kabir. Special guests included Advocate Parvez Talukdar, Shabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Solaiman, Russell Mahmood, Shahidul Islam, Riazul Islam, Suman Ahmed, Abu Ayyub Ansari, and President Giyas Uddin. The local residents of Rangamati, including Md. Kamal Uddin, Md. Nuruzaaman, and Md. Nasir Uddin, also spoke at the rally.

At the start of the event, a special prayer and supplication were made for the martyrs of the anti-discrimination student movement and for the safety of flood-affected individuals.

In his address, Kazi Mojibur Rahman highlighted that key positions in all institutions and organizations in the hill tracts have been consistently filled by members of the indigenous communities. He noted that positions such as those of national and regional political party leaders, parliamentarians, ministers, and deputy ministers are exclusively reserved for indigenous groups. Although the chairmanship of the Development Board is meant to be shared, it has predominantly been occupied by indigenous people.

For the sake of equality and justice, Rahman demanded that a Bengali be appointed as the Chairman of the Parbatya Chattagram Development Board. He also called for the appointment of members to the hill tracts district councils based on population ratios, insisting that the 51% Bengali population should be represented by at least 50% of the council members.

Other speakers at the rally called for amendments to the discriminatory and purposefully crafted Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act, and urged for the continuation of land allocation for the landless and destitute. They also demanded the immediate cancellation of the Village Common Forest (VCF) project, which they view as part of a scheme to seize government land and destroy forest resources. They emphasized the need for strict action against armed separatist groups and efforts to restore peace and order.

The speakers further advocated for equal opportunities for land purchase, residency, jobs, and business across the entire country, including in the hill tracts. They recommended providing limited land purchase opportunities for citizens from the other 61 districts for industrial and business purposes. The process for obtaining permanent residency certificates should be simplified.

Addressing the large crowd, the speakers also called for the replacement of the discriminatory indigenous quota system in government jobs, college and university admissions, and scholarships with an underprivileged quota system based on population ratios, ensuring equal opportunity for both indigenous people and Bengalis.

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