BIHARIS The Forgotten Community of Bangladesh

1. BIHARIS The Forgotten Community of Bangladesh Presented By: Al-Falah Bangladesh (NGO with over 25 yrs of service to the Bihari community ) www.alfalah.com.bd

2. History - Before the Great Divide • Muslims in India launched a political movement in search for a safe homeland in 1940s to establish a separate homeland for the 100 millions Indian Muslims. • 50,000 Muslims were massacred only in Bihar province in 1946 for their support to the Pakistan movement

3. 1947- India Divided • Pakistan was established in August 1947, when India was divided • After partition Indian Muslims were forced to migrate to Pakistan en mass • Most Bihari Muslims were employees of East Bengal Railway under British administration, opted for Pakistan and subsequently placed with jobs in East Pakistan Railway.

4. 1952- The Language Movement • In East Pakistan,the Urdu-speaking Biharis received their first jolt when in 1952, the Bengalis opposed Urdu as only state language of Pakistan • Unfortunately, majority of the Urdu-speaking community favored Urdu as only State Language of Pakistan • The language issue, thus sowed the seeds of mistrust among the people of East and West Pakistan

5. 1966- Six Points Movement • The six-point movement was launched by Sheikh Mujib, leader of the Awami League to achieve provincial autonomy of East Pakistan • This movement was a clear indication that the Bengali populations were no more interested to live with West Pakistan under a federal system. • The movement forced president Ayub khan to handover power to another General Yahya Khan and paved the way for holding the first and last General Elections in united Pakistan.

6. War of Liberation • 1970: Awami League won the Elections and emerged as the majority party in Pakistan followed by the PPP in West Pakistan. • 1971: Mujib, Bhutto and Gen Yahya failed to resolve their differences on transferring of power to the majority party. • The failed dialogue led to the arrest of Sheikh Mujib on 25 March 1971 & the army crack down against the Bengalis • The crackdown immediately heralded the war of liberation in East Pakistan

7. Politics in Pakistan and the Biharis • During the 24 years, the Biharis were politically exploited by the rulers in Pakistan • First a term “Mohajer” was used to exploit their religious feelings. • Later they were called as Biharis to keep them off from the mainstream society. • A small section of the Biharis, became tools in the hands of the Army during the nine months period of Bengali struggle for independence. • Continue………

8. Continuation • By 25 March 1971, thousands of Biharis, mostly railway employees were killed in Shantahar, Dinajpur, and other towns in North Bengal • The military crackdown against the Bengalis intensifies the backlash against the Biharis who were seen as fifth columnists by the majority Bengalis. Countless thousands were massacred. Those who were lucky fled to Pakistan or sought refuge in India

9. Emergence of Bangladesh • Indian Army joined the Bengali Mukti Bahini (freedom fighter) to liberate Bangladesh • Pakistan lost East Pakistan on 16th December 1971 • The Biharis lost their identity.

10. Life in Camps Following slides expose the life in Bihari camps: The Living Conditions Water and Sanitation problems Struggle for Livelihood Social and Economic Status Politics for Survival

11. Biharis in the Camps • This is Geneva Camp in Dhaka. It is the largest camp with 20,000 people. In 1972 the ICRC had allotted 100 sq ft space to each family to live in.

12. Another view of Geneva Camp

13. Main Entrance of the Camp

14. Water and Sanitation

15. Struggle for Livelihood Biharis lost all means of livelihood after 16 December 1971 The community had no access to its former jobs and business & many had lost their bread earners For over three decades, they have been living on scanty relief and charity A few eventually found odd jobs as labors or rickshaw pullers

16. Social Status • Literacy rate in the camps is as low as 8.55% • 27.66% children are enrolled in primary school located outside camps • 91.6% Bihari children have no access to secondary and higher secondary level education for the same poverty reason (Source:UNESCO)

17. Access to Health • 26.5 % have no access to medical facilities due to poverty and other factors such as distance of the facilities from the camp, language, and behavior of the service providers. • Even when they get to the public hospitals, all they get is prescriptions and they have no money to buy medicines from local pharmacy. (Source:UNESCO)

18. Jobs & Employment • Only 8% of camp dwellers are in private jobs, while before 1971, 54% were in pubic and private jobs while the others ran small businesses or were self employed. • 18.5 % are employed as rickshaw pullers and daily laborers • 12 % are doing small business within camps and 17.5% are casual workers, 6% are barbers/butchers etc . (Source:UNESCO)

19. Repatriation Movements • Since 1971 about 200,000 living outside camps decided to integrate with the mainstream society. • About 161,000 remained in camps . • In 1978 the Bihari leadership launched the repatriation movements but failed in its efforts to achieve the objective.

20. The Young Generation • The camp dwellers were never considered as Bangladeshi citizens. Their claim as “stranded Pakistanis” deprived them of their basic citizenship rights. • By the 1990s, tired of being outcasts, the young generation began demanding their birth rights as Bangladeshi citizens according to the provisions of the Bangladesh Constitution

21. Movements for Human Rights • With supports from NGOs like Al-Falah Bangladesh and RMMRU the young generation of camp dwellers organized rallies, meetings, workshops etc. to mobilize supports of the NGO, Media, Lawyers and members of the civil society on the issue of their human rights, throughout Bangladesh

22. Citizenship Restored • The High Court of Bangladesh, in 2003 and later in May 2008 gave judgments in favor of two writs filed by young petitioners. • The Judgments paved the way for the restoration of the the citizenships of the camp dwellers. • As a result the camp dwellers were registered as voters and Election Commission issued them National Identity Cards. • The rebuilding of their lives have finally began

23. Self-Help Education and Skill Development Programs In 2006, Al-Falah Bangladesh, introduced this program under its project “Community Development Center” The CDC has 3 components: Foundation Schools Sponsorship Programs Skill Development

24. Alfalah Bangladesh • Established in early 1980s Al-Falah is a registered NGO dedicated to the causes of the Bihari community • It is managed by Bihari volunteers living in various camps around the country now numbering around 50 mostly young boys & girls who have vowed to change their future • For details pls visit their website www.alfalah.com.bd

25. Foundation Schools

26. CDC now runs 20 Foundation Schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Ishurdi, Bogra, Syedpur and Mymensingh . • 546 children are now being taught pre-primary education in these schools by 20 sponsored community students • These 20 students are given sponsorship to continue their own higher education

27. Saved from being lost

28. Sponsorships • Sponsorship is given to selected poor and worthy students of the camp for continuation of higher study in Science and Commerce disciplines. • 123 Male and Female students were given sponsorship up to June 2009.

29. A group of sponsored students Sponsored students are meeting with the supporters of the project from the community in a get-together

30. Skill Development • CDC had sponsored three camp students to obtain IT training • These 3 students are now Instructors of the Computer Class and provides basic training to other community students. • 119 students completed the training till June 2009

31. WORKSHOP • Sponsored Teachers, Instructors, Supervisor and Students taking part in the workshop on the issues of Human Rights & community Development

32. CDC Team with EC Board Members

33. Progress till June 2009 • Foundation School: 20 Dhaka- 4, Mirpur-4, Syedpur-3, Khulna-4, Chittagong-1, Mymensingh-2, Bogra-1 & Ishurdi-1 • Students- 456 • Sponsored Teachers- 20, Sponsored Supervisors- 7 • Sponsorship – 123 • Computer Training Class • Sponsored Instructors- 3 • 3 Months Course Completed by 119 male and female students

34. Plan for 2009 • Increase the number of Foundation School to 40 • Upgrade existing 13 schools with teaching aids & furniture • Develop 40 sponsored students as volunteer-teachers for Foundation Schools • Support 300 children for admission in the Government Primary School, • Sponsor 550 students to continue study at school, college and university level. • Train 200 students on basic computer course. • Provide Vocational Training to 200 youth • Establish one text book library in Geneva Camp • Establish 7 IT Training Centers in Chittagong, Khulna, Ishurdi, Mirpur, Mymensingh, Bogra and Syedpur