Bangladesh Environment  Network

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First Conference on Indigenous People and

Bangladesh Environment

(Adibashi Jonogoshti o Bangladesher Poribesh)

17-18 December, 2007

Venue: Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Organized by

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)

and

Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN)

In association with

Department of Sociology, Dhaka University

Department of Anthropology, Jahangir Nagar University

Department of Anthropology, Rajshahi University

Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences,

Chittagong University

Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University

Department of Agricultural Chemistry,

Bangladesh Agricultural University

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department,

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology

The degradation of Bangladesh environment has spread to hills, forests, and other habitats of the country’s indigenous people. Of about fifty-seven different ethnic minorities of Bangladesh, many live in the forests and hills of eastern Bangladesh. Others live in the Madhupur Tract, Barind Tract, Coastal and different parts of the country’s plain land. Indigenous people are generally referred to as adibashis, pointing to the fact that they are the original inhabitants of the areas in which they live now. Over time, adibashis developed cultures and lifestyles suitable for the environment of their habitats.

Unfortunately during recent decades, both the life and livelihood of adibashi people and the environment of their habitats have come under threat. On the one hand, in many areas adibashis have faced displacement and constriction. On the other hand, the environment of their habitats has undergone serious degradation. Thus, hills have been denuded of forest cover, causing soil erosion, sedimentation of water bodies, and tragic mudslides. Forests of central Bangladesh have become almost extinct. As a whole, the country’s forest cover has now dwindled to less than ten percent. Loss of forests has also led to loss of bio-diversity. Adibashis living on Bangladesh’s plain land have also witnessed deterioration of their environment due to loss of water and vegetation and various other causes.

Bangladesh needs to reverse these negative processes. She can protect her environment and defend the life, livelihood, and culture of the ethnic minorities at the same time. She can benefit from her physical and ethnic diversity. A national strategy is needed in order to attain these twin goals. The purpose of this conference is to bring together scholars, activists, and other stakeholders to help develop such a strategy through discussion, analysis, information-sharing, and consensus building.

The specific objectives of the conference are as follows:

•    To gauge the extent and identify the causes of environmental degradation in Bangladesh’s forests and hills and other areas where adibashis live;

•    To understand adibashis’ economy and culture and how these relate to the environment of their habitats;

•    To gauge the effect of environmental changes and degradation on the life and livelihood of the adibashis;

•    To identify the ways in which environmental degradation can be stopped in the areas where adibashis live;

•    To understand the role that adibashis can play in protecting the environment of their habitats.

To achieve its broad goal and concrete objectives, the conference will have the following two types of sessions and ancillary activities.

Expert sessions, for presentations by scholars and other experts in the field;

General sessions, for presentation and participation by non-experts, including representatives of adibashi communities and their organizations, representatives of various government, non-government, and social organizations, and citizens;

Ancillary activities: Exhibitions, poster presentations, display of cultural heritages and objects of different indigenous communities, video and film presentations, cultural programs, etc.

To address the objectives mentioned above, papers are hereby invited from experts and scholars for presentation at the Expert Sessions. Broadly the paper should relate to the following sub-themes:

•    The traditional economy, society, and culture of the adibashi people in Bangladesh

•    The environment of the habitats of the adibashi people

•    Recent changes in the economy, society, and culture of the adibashi people

•    Recent degradation of environment in the habitats of the adibashi people

•    Ways to protect adibashi rights and help them modernize while preserving their distinctive cultures and their relationship with environment

•    Ways to protect environment of the adibashi habitats

Papers may be written and presented in either Bangla or English.

Please submit your full paper by November 15

Meanwhile, please send the topic and an abstract (300-500 words) of your paper as soon as possible.

The full paper is expected to be between 4000-6000 words.

All abstracts and papers should be in Word and sent in electronic form to mokaddemdu@yahoo.com, khan@uwp.edu, bapa@sdnbd.org and bapa2000@gmail.com .

A volume containing abstracts of all papers selected for presentation at the conference will be published and made available at the conference. A volume containing a sub-set (depending on the quality) of papers from among those selected for presentation at the conference will also be published. A  scientific committee constituted by the Conference Organizing Committee will make the necessary decisions regarding the program of the conference and the volume.

Invitation is hereby extended to all to participate both in Expert & General Sessions of the conference. Interested participants are requested to inform the conference secretariat about (i) their intention to participate and (ii) any particular idea that they may have with regard to their participation.

Call for participation in the Ancillary activities

Invitation is hereby extended to all to participate in the ancillary activities of the conference. Interested participants are requested to inform the conference secretariat about (i) their intention to participate and (ii) particular type of activity they intend to engage in.

Conference secretariat

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)

9/12 Block D, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207

Bangladesh.

Tel. + 88-02-812-8024, Fax 8113469

Email: bapa@sdnbd.org

 bapa2000@gmail.com

A Conference organizing committee (COC) has been formed with Prof. Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Vice president of BAPA as the Convener and Mr. Mohidul Haque Khan as the Member Secretary. Prof. Khondaker Mokaddem Hossain and Prof. Farida Khan are the Joint Conveners of the COC on behalf of BAPA and BEN, respectively. Mr. Shajahan Mridha Benu is in charge of the Ancillary activities of the conference. Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), a global network of non-resident Bangladeshis, has formed a committee, with Prof. Farida Khan (khan@uwp.edu) of University of Wisconsin (Parkside) as the Chair and Shiba P. Kar (shiba.kar@psu.edu) of Pennsylvania State University as the Secretary, to coordinate conference-related activities overseas.

First Conference on

Indigenous People and Bangladesh Environment

(Adibashi Jonogoshti o Bangladesher Poribesh)

17-18 December, 2007

Venue: Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Registration Form

Name: _______________________________________________________

Institutional affiliation: __________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

Tel. no. __________________________

Fax no. __________________________

E-mail address:________________________________

Intended nature of participation in the conference: Please mark one or more from the following: (  ) Expert Sessions, (  ) General Sessions, (  ) Ancillary activities, (  ) others

Nationality: ________________Ethnicity: __________

Academic Qualification (optional) ________________

Age (optional): ______

Signature___________________     Date: __________                                  

The conference is open for attendance and participation by both registered and non-registered participants. The registered participants will receive conference materials and coupons for lunch. The registration fees Tk. 200 (Two hundred) for all and Tk. 100 (One hundred) for students are payable along with the filled up registration form in cash or in cross cheque in favor of the account “Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon”. Members of the indigenous communities contributing to the conference activities are not required to pay the registration fee and may approach the conference secretariat if in need for help with travel, accommodation and meals. Participants from abroad are requested to make their own arrangements for travel to Bangladesh. However, the conference secretariat may help them with local services (travel, accommodation, and food), if there is such a need.