Admin asks indigenous people to shorten programme

Addressing a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, indigenous leader Albert Saren said the administrations of northern region denied them permission to hold programmes in the rural areas on security ground as a large crowd might gather in those programmes.

The three-day festival, Baha O Fagua Parab, will begin today in Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi districts simultaneously.

He said though huge gatherings are not uncommon in these types of programmes in rural areas, but by no means there could be any problem of security.

He said even in the urban areas, they had to cut short their programmes at the instruction of the administrations.

As part of the festival, playwright Mamunur Rashid's 'Rarang' will be staged in the three districts.

Mamunur Rashid, Barendra Development Organisation Executive Director Abdur Rauf and Bibhash Chakrabarti of Oxfam also spoke.