DACCA, Bangladesh - The Xaverian Missionaries have been working for over 40 years for the human, economic, and social promotion of the Dalit of Chuknagar and its surrounding area, in the western part of Khulna. Their valuable work of education and progress in favor of these people has borne fruit: Milon Das, a Dalit from Bangladesh, has been chosen by the IDSN (International Dalit Solidarity Network) to represent the Dalit of Bangladesh at the Human Rights Council, which will hold a conference in Geneva during the first week of February. Milon is the Director and Founder of an NGO named Parittran ('salvation'), which has arisen among the Dalit, upon the encouragement of the missionaries, with the objective of improving their lives.
A recent national seminar that took place in the capital, Dacca, entitled: 'Outlining the poverty of the Dalit in Bangladesh,' showed that the discrimination of castes is not only a problem in Hindu populations, but also among Muslims and Christians. The proposal was made of spreading awareness among the political parties, so that new laws can be made against discrimination. The missionaries and many other NGOs are working so that the Dalit may be acknowledged as fully-fledged citizens and so that the State may take measures in protecting their human and civil rights.
|
