The son of the late Wickliffe Syiem, the Deputy Syiem of Hima Nongstoin, Andrew Sohlamar, has said that Khasis are facing difficulties in Bangladesh related to land ownership.
Born and brought up in Bangladesh, Sohlamar stated that over 30,000 Khasi families reside in the neighboring country, some working under government services and some in nursing.
Citing himself as a social activist working for the rights of Khasis, Sohlamar said that the Bangladesh government has refused to issue land pattas to the community.
“Khasis are facing difficulty there relating to ownership of land. The government does not give land as we stay in the forest lands or tea gardens, and they intend to evict us,” he revealed.
“Even if I want to come back (to Meghalaya), It feels bad to leave everything behind. I request the NGOs to have some consideration even if there is no place for us. If you are a Muslim and a non-Khasi, you can survive there for hundreds of years,” – he claimed.
He informed that the Bangladesh Indigenous People’s Forum consisting of around 50 other ethnic groups in Bangladesh, such as Garos and Chakmas, intends to protect and fight for the rights of indigenous people.
