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Minority quotas in higher education and jobs are good

  • Open Discussion
  • Lead News
  • 20 September, 2022 00:42:48

Photo: Collected

CNI: In order to protect the rights of all citizens of Bangladesh, eliminate discrimination and ensure equality of opportunities, special provision or quota system is in place for the women community, backward civil groups, people of remote areas by relaxing the eligibility criteria in the field of education and employment and keeping a certain number of seats reserved. Quota system was first introduced in 1972 to provide benefits to the freedom fighters, the sun children of the nation, but gradually the scope of the quota was increased to improve and advance the neglected and backward communities of the country, which includes the members of the tribal and minority communities. Like the ethnic minorities in other parts of Bangladesh, the ethnic minorities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts also enjoy the existing quota system in higher education and employment, and have made unprecedented progress in quality of life and socio-economic indicators. However, all ethnic groups are not able to change their fate by getting quota benefits equally and there is a situation where quota benefits are used unilaterally by some communities. This creates inequality and imbalance among the small ethnic groups of the hills. There is growing resentment, inequality and deprivation among deprived tribal groups and hill Bengalis. On the other hand, some major tribes or small ethnic groups are getting stronger and pushing other small ethnic groups to backward and marginal situations, which is contrary to the constitutional rights of balanced development and equal rights of all citizens and is one of the main causes of social and group conflicts and divisions in Chittagong Hill Tracts. It should be noted that according to 29-3 (a) of the Bangladesh Constitution, considering the tribal/minor ethnic communities of the whole country including the Chittagong Hill Tracts as a backward class, in 1985 a provision of reservation of five percent quota in government jobs was kept for them. Apart from this, tribal quotas are kept in various universities and medical colleges of Bangladesh. In 2015, the Ministry of Public Administration of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Senior Secretary Dr. In a circular signed by Kamal Abdul Nasser Chowdhury, the word 'tribal' has been replaced with 'minor ethnic group' in the case of quota allotted for appointment in government educational institutions and offices. In addition to the existence of tribal/minority quotas in third and fourth class government jobs and higher education institutions, according to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Agreement signed in 1997, tribal/minority community members are recruited on priority basis in various government and autonomous institutions in Chittagong Hill Tracts including the Chittagong Hill Regional Council, Zilla Parishad. . But the statistical reality is that not all ethnic groups in Chittagong Hill Tracts are benefiting equally from quota facilities provided for jobs and higher education institutions for tribals or minorities. Majority of the benefits of the quota are exclusively availed by the Chakma and in some cases the Marma and Tripura tribes while the remaining 10-11 tribes are deprived. The most discriminatory picture is that despite living in the remote and adverse conditions of the same hills, the hill Bengali population is being deprived of quota facilities and is lagging behind in terms of education, employment, financial and social status. Alleging that Group dominance and social deprivation, neglect and marginalization are clearly shown through a few examples. In 2016, researcher Sugata Chakma, conducted by the Khagrachari Minority Ethnic Cultural Institute, said that the socio-economic status, education rate and professional development of the Chakma people living in Khagrachari district have been greatly improved. In some Chakma villages, the maximum 80 to minimum 40 percent of the people are literate. A large part of educated Chakmas are working in various positions in various government, private organizations, banks, educational institutions. For example, 70 Chakma people are engaged in teaching in 9 colleges of Khagrachari district. There are 30 doctors of Chakma ethnic group working in the district at public and private level. 68 Chakmas are working in 9 bank branches, out of which 46 are male and 22 are female. Chakmaras also hold leading positions in various financial sectors including local trade and commerce. The remarkable improvement of the Chakmas is the benefit of the quota system in employment and higher education. However, the Chakmas living in the city are getting the benefits in these areas, but the Chakma community in the villages is not getting the same. Similarly, the hill Bengali community and the remaining 12-13 tribes or small ethnic groups are far behind in the development of the Chakmas. Because of this, Bengalis are demanding equality in terms of rights and privileges including quota and jobs, and minority ethnic groups such as Bam, Khumi, Pankhwaa, Lusai, Khiang, Mang, Chak, etc. are very advanced through preferential treatment and privileges in terms of quota and job privileges. Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Tanchanga have demanded reform of the quota system and adjustment in their favor to bring them on par. A review of the statistics of students admitted under the tribal/minority quota in various universities and medical colleges of Bangladesh during the last 10 years (2011-2021) shows the clear predominance of a few communities including the Chakmas, from which the issue of 'internal deprivation and dominance' among the minority communities is more evident. . In the statistics of the last 10 years, more than half (56 percent) of the total 3108 seats reserved for more than half a hundred minorities of Bangladesh are occupied by Chakma students of Chittagong Hill Tracts alone. While Chakmaras are 28 percent of the total minority population of Bangladesh. Similarly, the Marma community constitutes 15 per cent of the total minority population and they take up 14 per cent of the total reserved quota seats, the Tripura community 8 per cent of the minority population and 7 per cent of the quota seats. Discrimination can be seen in getting quota benefits among small ethnic groups in the plains like Chittagong Hill Tracts. Santal community is 9 per cent of the total tribal population but 3 per cent and Manipuri community is 7 per cent but 2 per cent of the quota benefits. On the other hand, half a hundred other ethnic groups have collectively availed only 18 per cent of the quota, even though their combined population is 33 per cent of the total tribal population. Mainly through political influence, communication, bias towards their own community and regionalism, students of Chakma community are taking majority of quota opportunities. As the education rate among them is high, the number of Chakma applicants for higher education or employment is also high. Many Chakma students are already studying in various higher education institutions of the country, which provide accommodation and board to the aspirants of the Chakma community. They can also quickly send various information to their community. But students from other tribal communities are not getting such opportunities and are falling behind in availing quota benefits. Many times members of minority communities face difficulties in obtaining tribal certificates and documents. As the Chakma, Marma, Tripura officials-employees of various offices predominate in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, they cooperate with their respective communities and do not cooperate with other communities. Sometimes potential applicants from other ethnic groups are misled by intimidation and misinformation. As a result, other ethnic group members are not found. Then Chakma students secured their admission in vacant quota seats through lobbying. Due to overprivileging of one or two ethnic groups, other ethnic groups are falling behind and the socio-economic and political balance is being destroyed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. As the backward groups are deprived of fair opportunities for education and occupation, the benefits of the government's development policies and plans are not being observed equally for all. It should be noted that the average education rate of Bangladesh is 72.9 percent, but the education rate of Chakmas who complain of being deprived in remote hill towns is 73 percent. This progress is not indicative of deprivation and backwardness. Due to education, there is a clear dominance of the Chakma ethnic group in professions and workplaces. On the other hand, the education rate of other ethnic groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is only 45 percent, which is evidence of the variation in opportunities, imbalance and internal discrimination among the groups. Another burning example is the hilly Bengali community living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Due to lack of quota facilities and other constitutional rights, the education rate among Chittagong Hill Tracts is only 23 percent despite being a little more than half of the total population. Not only community and ethnic discrimination is happening in this, but a significant number of citizens of the country cannot be turned into qualified human resources and used to build the country and nation. As a result, the nation is suffering a great loss. Due to this, the overall benefit of the quota system is being unilaterally taken from the dominant group in proportion to the population and to the disadvantaged tribal and hill Bengali communities in terms of communal backwardness. This will lead to sustainable and integrated development of Chittagong Hill Tracts and eliminate communal disparity and discontent. It should be noted that due to educational backwardness, most of the 13-14 ethnic groups of the Chittagong Hill Tracts are deprived of the opportunity to take up higher education and profession as well as the opportunity to present their demands and statements politically and socially. One sided advantage of this situation is being taken by the Chakma and two other ethnic groups, who are imposing their group interests and leadership authority in the name of 'whole ethnic group's demand'. Although there is no opportunity and recognition of the participation and speech of other ethnic groups in these political activities. 90-95% of the organizational structure and leadership of hill tribal groups are under Chakma control. As a result, 'Jummu Nationalism' is called 'Chakma Nationalism'. As in the past, the "ethnic conflict" of Chittagong Hill Tracts was named as "Armed conflict of Chakmad" by international media and various studies. Even today, the 'political attempt to establish Chakma supremacy' over the Chittagong Hill Tracts and people is evident in various movements in the name of tribes and small ethnic groups, which the common people of the hills identify as 'Chakma tribal hegemony', which needs to end immediately and all classes, professions, religions in the hills. , it is imperative to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all irrespective of caste. In this case, it is also necessary to make legal changes in the quota facility in order to bring forward the actual neglected and deprived people in terms of population ratio and backwardness in Chittagong Hill Tracts in terms of education and employment. The fact that one or two groups will receive the majority of quota benefits while others are deprived creates new discontent and discrimination by disrupting the meaning of protecting the rights of all citizens of Bangladesh, eliminating discrimination and ensuring equality of opportunity. As a result, it is necessary to examine the good and bad aspects of minority quotas in higher education and employment and make necessary changes and in the case of Chittagong Hill Tracts, the extremely neglected, backward and deprived hill-Bengalis should also be brought under the quota. As a whole, it is very important to ensure the legal framework for all citizens of Chittagong Hill Tracts to apply basic rights, political-economic-social opportunities and all constitutional rights equally and without discrimination for the sake of permanent peace, social harmony and sustainable development of the hill. Author: Dr. Mahfuz Parvez, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Chittagong

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