ISBN: 978-904-34-3252-0

Manusher Jonno Foundation (2017)

Equal Justice for Marginal People

In 2017, a fundamental research based book on "State of Marginalised in Bangladesh: Experience of Marginalization Exclusion and Rights Violation" has been published by Manusher Jonno Foundation (Author: Salim Ahmed Parvez, Shoeib Shazzad Khan, Wasur Rahmen Tonmoy, Evelina Chakma and Kahandoker Rezwanul Karim).

This volume elucidates - politics of marginalization, politics of positional differences, politics of cultural differences, marginalization of institutional dynamics, role of state, market and society; inequality and institutional deprivation of adivasi community(Dalu, Garo, Hajong, Khashi, Mahato, Oraon, Patro, Pahan, Rakhain and Santal), dalit community and traditional fisher-folk community in Bangladesh; peoples with disabilities in Bangladesh, the sex workers in Bangladesh and religious minorities in Bangladesh.

Author explains - adibasis are politically marginalized and socio-economically disadvantaged peoples in Bangladesh where identity crisis is a big issue. 60% of the plain land adibasi people in Bangladesh are absolute poor, whereas 39.5% people in rural Bangladesh are absolute poor. 24.6% of the plain land adibasis are hardcore poor. In general, this book tells us a story of - vulnerable, disadvantaged, disempowered, deprived, downtrodden and ultra-poor people's story.

Marginalization is the culture of deep rooted attitude, values and traditional belief that pushes a group of people into a state of powerlessness results in poverty, deprivation and often desperation. Marginal peoples are fighting for their marginality and the common property rights in forest. An indigenous person considers their forest and culture as like as mother. But the international or national rent-seekers, looting class, law abuser, and elite politician are very vigorous at hilly region. Other hand, our constitution implies, the owner of the state is only people. The state has said that she will not show any inequality, discrimination, disparity against humanity and general people.

Human rights conception recognizes that the ultimate task of human rights law is protection and promotion of inherent human dignity. Day by day, poverty among marginal people is augmenting since the end of 1970 and 1980 due to the demographic engineering under the system of political engineering. Basically two types of poverty they are facing at deep forest - absolute and hardcore poverty. Poverty forces the local people to create unfavorable condition at forest biodiversity. The socio-economic problem of Dalit community members and other marginal people are vulnerable.

Context of Sustainable Development Goals actually focus on average development, but it is very important how much improvement mostly disadvantaged people of the society. Researcher suggests that the state, keeping in view the Constitution's stance on human rights, should take the responsibility of creating a sustainable environment for these marginal people.

Finally researcher recommends for the promotion of socio-economic stability of adibasi people. These are - establishing a pro-active adibashi land reform commission, empowering adibasi women for mainstreams strategies and development, and at end promoting socio-economic health of adibashi people. Time offers to the successful implementation of the 'CHT Accord 1997'in Bangladesh.

Reviewed By Shishir Reza, Environmental Analyst and Associate Member, Bangladesh Economic Association