Recognition of Citizenship and Its Challenges for the Urdu Speaking Camp Dwellers in Bangladesh
Recognition of citizenship and its challenges for the Urdu speaking camp dwellers in Bangladesh
Al-Falah Bangladesh is a social and welfare organization which was formed in Dhaka in June1981. It was registered with the Ministry of Social Welfare in 1984 to work for the social, cultural and economic rehabilitation of the Urdu speaking community living in Bangladesh. The organization evolved its objectives giving priority to the health, education and skill development needs of the community.
After the signing of the tripartite agreement among India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1974, and completion of the category-wise repatriation of stranded Pakistanis under that agreement, many people at that time had observed that a large number of Urdu speaking populations would not be able to reach Pakistan and they would need to adjust their future in Bangladesh. With the passage of time, the political nature of the problems of the Urdu speaking community gradually emerged as a humanitarian issue in Bangladesh.
The repatriation movements in Bangladesh faced several ups and downs in between 1978 and 1993. During that period many camp dwellers kept their hopes alive for repatriation. However, majority of the Urdu speaking people who were living outside the camps was compelled under the emerging urban social and cultural set ups to reshape their future as Bangladeshi citizens by integrating with the mainstream.
Around 160,000 camp dwellers remained stateless as neither Pakistan, nor Bangladesh recognized them as their nationals. The concerned authorities in Bangladesh never brought them under the fold of on going social and economic development. Dependent and reliant largely on relief and charity, they were socially and economically excluded. As a result the level of poverty increased manifolds ruining two generations of the Urdu speaking camp dwellers.
Al-Falah s efforts for social, cultural and economic rehabilitation of the camp dwellers faced stiff resistance from many quarters in and outside Bangladesh. Yet the organization campaigned for development rather than relief .
With the support from Manusher Jonno Foundation, (a local donor agency) UNHCR and UNESCO, several research works and surveys were conducted by Alfalah to collect necessary data and determine the social and cultural status of the camp dwellers. The findings were documented and disseminated among the civil society, NGOs, CBOs (community based organizations), UN System in Bangladesh, International Human Rights Organizations and local media with a view to making them aware of the human rights situation of the camp dwellers. Under the advocacy programs, Al-Falah projected the issues of the camp dwellers through the media, met and discussed with high government officials on the issue of their citizenship and persuaded the Election Commission to enroll them as voters so that they may also take part in the local and national elections as equal citizens of the country. Al-Falah also organized rallies, human chains, meetings, workshops and roundtable to project the issues of the Urdu speaking community and mobilize support for the solution of those issues.
Apart from research & advocacy, Alfalah initiated several development programs in health, education and economic sectors. In Geneva Camp, the largest among the 116 settlements, Al-Falah Model Clinic provides preventive as well as limited curative services to mothers and children. It also delivers pre and post natal, safe motherhood and family planning services. Al-Falah Commercial School, Al-Falah Model Tutorial Centre, and Al-Falah Vocational Training Centre have helped many young people in getting computer skill, education up to secondary level and skill on various trades. These beneficiaries are now socially and economically established in the society. Some of them have come out from the camp life and now live outside the camp.
In early 2007 Al-Falah introduced a self-help education and skill development program under a new project named Community Development Centre (CDC). The CDC provides sponsorship to the Science and Commerce students who live in camps to continue their education up to the degree level. In lieu of financial assistance, some of them teach the community children in the Foundation School and some coach the SSC students on computer skills.
At present there are 8 Foundation Schools, established in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Ishwerdi and Syedpur where 265 children are being prepared to get admission in primary schools next year. 20 students have completed their computer training course and another 20 are under training. The funds and computers have been given by the affluent and philanthropists of the community. Al-Falah has an ambitious target for 40 Foundation Schools, to be established in another 36 camps and provide computer skill to 80 male and female students by the end of the current year. If the above can be achieved, it would bring about a substantial improvement in the lives of these unfortunate people.
After long delay the government of Bangladesh, however, decided on 5 September 2007 to give citizenship to the Urdu speaking camp dwellers, enroll their names in the voter s list and issue them the national identity cards. However, the recognition of citizenship will not solve all the social, cultural and economic issues. The government needs a policy and plan for the rehabilitation of about 160,000 people as equal citizens of the country. There exists no such policy and plan. The present caretaker government is constitutionally not in a position to undertake this task of policy formulation which means that the camp dwellers will need to wait for an elected democratic government in Bangladesh which is due by the end of 2008.
Considering these aspects of the rehabilitation issue, Al-Falah with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation, has already drafted a 5-year strategic plan for their rehabilitation with dignity and equal status in the main stream of the society. The draft plan has been developed with consultation of the civil society, NGOs, CBOs (community based organizations), and human rights activists and institutions and legal experts. However, the self help education & skill development program under the CDC remains the cornerstones of the strategic plan in this context.
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