http://www.unnayannews.net/issue/cultureNdevelopment/adibasi.htm

Hamni Hiki Bangladeshi , was the first performance by an Oraon young group in the festival. This three days annual festival organised by SEHD (Society for Environment and Human Development) that was inaugurated by Kumudini Hajong, a famous woman leader of the historic Tanka Movement at 4:00pm of 20 March at National Museum. In the inaugural ceremony speakers said Adivasi language and culture are now on the verge of extinction. The struggle to establish right to the land of the Advasis has not yet come to the end though it started during the British rule. During the Liberation War the Adivasis sacrificed their lives for independence but they are now living as aliens in their own country. Speakers also demanded that the government take initiative for the education of the Adivasis through their own language.

The State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Selima Rahman, attended in the festival as chief guest. Chingku Roaza, a leading intellectual of the hill tracts, Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, and professor Mahmudul Haq, director general of the National Museum and Prof Sakhawat Ali Director general of the SEHD specks strongly to ensure the citizen and equal rights of the Adivasi people.
In the opening ceremony of ` Forests and Forest Culture `, the photography exhibition by Philip Gain and display of adivasi , the speakers said about the peaceful life and living of Adivasi with the nature. The stunned by the present situation of the environment and development approach by distorting forest and forest culture. They explained the dangers of the hazardous practices. The exhibition was opened by Mr. Dwijen Sarma, an eminent environmentalist, Mr. Goutam Dewan, convener, Movement for the Protection of Forest and L and Rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts; Mr. Abir Abdullah, photojournalist. Prof. Sakhawat Ali Khan preside over the inauguration. The exhibition will continue 18 to 24 March 2006 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM .

However 17 cultural groups and people particularly youth from 21 ethnic communities participated in the festival. With the participation of a number of Adivasi artistes and traditional indigenous cultural programmes were performed at the festival, which will exhibit at Drik gallery for seven days.

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