The historical research book titled ‘The Khasis in the Liberation of Bangladesh’ by Indian researcher, lawyer and writer Daniel Stone Lyngdoh was launched at the CIRDAP International Convention Centre in Dhaka on Friday.
Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum general secretary Sanjeeb Drong attended as chief guest at the event while the forum’s organising secretary Andrew Joell Sholmar, human rights activist Trijinad Chakma and writer-researcher Eshita Dastidar, among others, spoke as special guests, which was moderated by Surmi Chakma.
Sanjeeb Drong said that the national minorities’ roles in the liberation war need to be recognised.
He also hoped that the book would inspire young people to promote the history of their communities.
Trijinad Chakma said that after the student-led mass uprising, the state must ensure the basic rights of national minorities of the country, which were absent since the war of independence, although the people of the communities also suffered and fought against Pakistan after the India-Pakistan great partition, which divided the land but not the community.
Eshita Dastidar said that Khasis freedom fighters were not recognised in the history of the war of independence.
Andrew Joell Sholmar shared her memory of the pre and post-war events.
Daniel Stone Lyngdoh said that the book is a three-year journey of Khasis villages in Bangladesh.
‘Khasis people participated in the liberation war which is not mentioned in any book,’ he said, adding that the national minority communities’ struggle and rights need to be recognised.
The research was funded by the department of arts and culture, Government of Meghalaya of India and the book was published by Pigeon Books India.
