DHAKA:  Deputy Leader of the House in Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury Saturday said money from foreign countries is flowing in to finance certain quarters to halt the trial of the war criminals.  

She made the remark while speaking as chief guest at a seminar arranged on the occasion of the international aboriginal day at the LGED auditorium.

Without elaborating on the suspected foreign funding of the anti-trial moves, the deputy leader said, “An evil force is working to protect the war criminals and to destroy the democratic force. Huge money is coming to them.”

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury said they had suggested Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to hear the indigenous people going to them in the hills, but they are afraid to take the prime minister to hills in the current situation.

She said that 13.5 million aboriginals were put outside the voter list, but the indigenous people got their voting right as the present prime minister had demanded before the last general election.  

Sajeda Chowdhury said the government has made law to protect the separate identity and culture of the ethnic groups.

About the unrest in the hills, the deputy leader said the problem cropped up as the Bengali-speaking people were mingled with the locals. “Now the Bengali- speaking settlers could not be removed from the areas, and for this reason land survey is essential.”

Sajeda further told her audience that the decision to withdraw army from the hill districts was cancelled following suggestion of Santu Larma, the main leader of the hill tracts who had led a prolonged bush war and signed peace deal with the government in 1997.   

Organized by Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and Bangladesh Adibashi Forum, the daylong seminar was presided over by Justice Golam Rabbani.

Former adviser of the caretaker government Sultana Kamal was present at the seminar as the special guest. Among others, ALRD Chairperson Kushi Kabir and General Secretary of Adibashi Forum Sanjib Drang addressed the seminar.
The keynote paper written by Dr. Abul Barakat was placed by executive director of ALRD Shamsul Huda.

BDST/1237 HRS, AUGUST 7, 2010