Staff Correspondent

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said that the reality of Bangladesh has no resemblance to the historical and anthropological reality of immigrant countries. Therefore, it is not possible to understand the demographics of Bangladesh through the lenses of immigrants' minds or experiences.

The minister made these remarks while addressing a special guest at a roundtable discussion titled ' Indigenous Identity is Irrelevant for Bangladesh ' organized by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Research Association at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday . Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed was present as the chief guest at the event.

The Information Minister said that the nationhood of Bangladesh was not developed through the occupation and displacement of any external immigrant population ; rather, the population and nationhood of this country have developed through long anthropological evolution , social interaction and historical continuity. He said that there is a historical reality of the eviction and occupation of indigenous people in the history of immigrant countries like Canada , the United States , Australia and New Zealand. Various civilized and positive initiatives of these countries can also be seen to atone for that history. But there is no comparison between that reality and the history and demographics of Bangladesh.

In this context, he said , "We need to be careful when speaking and expressing our reactions whether we are falling into a trap and popularizing a word or statement that is often irrelevant in the context of Bangladesh."

The minister said , "There is no single or one-dimensional ethnic identity among the people of Bangladesh. Over thousands of years of history, the country's society and ethnicity have developed through the integration and cultural interaction of various peoples. It is through this plurality that a common national identity has been developed."

The Information Minister said , "To understand the demographics of Bangladesh, we cannot look through the lenses of immigrants. To understand the demographics of Bangladesh, we must understand the natural and historical anthropological evolution."

Stating that Bangladeshi nationalism based on citizenship is an important foundation of the country's national identity , the Information Minister said that martyred President Ziaur Rahman had reintroduced the concept of nationalism based on citizenship , which has helped to contain the various diversities and crises of Bangladesh's ethnicity within the framework of a common national identity.

State Minister for Culture Ali Newaz Mahmud Khayyam was also present as a special guest at the event, which was chaired and moderated by Mehdi Hasan Palash, President of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Research Association.

The roundtable meeting was attended by leaders of the organizing organization , researchers , teachers , anthropologists , journalists, and concerned individuals.