Dhaka: Former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Dr Mizanur Rahman on Sunday said Bangladesh’s overall human rights situation could not be enhanced until the rights of indigenous people are protected.

“Even if the human rights of a single person are violated, this incident paves a way to violate human rights of whole people of a country,” he said while addressing a report unveiling ceremony in the capital.

Kapaeeng Foundation, a non-government organisation working on indigenous people, launched its ‘Human Rights Report 2016 on Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh’ at Daily Star seminar hall.

Prof Mizan alleged that the state is not taking proper steps to stop violation of human rights on indigenous people in the country, saying this is urgent to protect rights of indigenous people to implement the dream of the 71 Liberation War. 

The Human Rights Report 2016 on Indigenous Peoples shows that about 53 cases of violence against indigenous women were reported from January 2016 to December 2016 in which a total of 58 indigenous women and girls were assaulted sexually and physically.

Among these cases, 25 incidents took place in the plain lands in which 28 indigenous women and girls were victims of physical and sexual violence in contrast to 28 such cases in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) where 30 women and girls were victimised.

Chaired by Kapaeeng Foundation president Rabindranath Soren, the function was addressed, among others, by Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary Sanjib Drong and Kapaeeng Foundation vice chairman Chaitali Tripura.