| Recognition of citizenship and its challenges for the | | | | several development programs in health, education |
| Urdu speaking camp dwellers in Bangladesh | | | | and economic sectors. In Geneva Camp, the largest |
| Al-Falah Bangladesh is a social and welfare | | | | among the 116 settlements, Al-Falah Model Clinic |
| organization which was formed in Dhaka in June1981. | | | | provides preventive as well as limited curative |
| It was registered with the Ministry of Social Welfare | | | | services to mothers and children. It also delivers pre |
| in 1984 to work for the social, cultural and economic | | | | and post natal, safe motherhood and family planning |
| rehabilitation of the Urdu speaking community living in | | | | services. Al-Falah Commercial School, Al-Falah Model |
| Bangladesh. The organization evolved its objectives | | | | Tutorial Centre, and Al-Falah Vocational Training |
| giving priority to the health, education and skill | | | | Centre have helped many young people in getting |
| development needs of the community. | | | | computer skill, education up to secondary level and |
| After the signing of the tripartite agreement among | | | | skill on various trades. These beneficiaries are now |
| India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1974, and | | | | socially and economically established in the society. |
| completion of the category-wise repatriation of | | | | Some of them have come out from the camp life |
| stranded Pakistanis under that agreement, many | | | | and now live outside the camp. |
| people at that time had observed that a large | | | | In early 2007 Al-Falah introduced a self-help education |
| number of Urdu speaking populations would not be | | | | and skill development program under a new project |
| able to reach Pakistan and they would need to adjust | | | | named “Community Development |
| their future in Bangladesh. With the passage of time, | | | | Centre”(CDC). The CDC provides sponsorship to |
| the political nature of the problems of the Urdu | | | | the Science and Commerce students who live in |
| speaking community gradually emerged as a | | | | camps to continue their education up to the degree |
| humanitarian issue in Bangladesh. | | | | level. In lieu of financial assistance, some of them |
| The repatriation movements in Bangladesh faced | | | | teach the community children in the Foundation |
| several ups and downs in between 1978 and 1993. | | | | School and some coach the SSC students on |
| During that period many camp dwellers kept their | | | | computer skills. |
| hopes alive for repatriation. However, majority of the | | | | At present there are 8 Foundation Schools, |
| Urdu speaking people who were living outside the | | | | established in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Ishwerdi and |
| camps was compelled under the emerging urban | | | | Syedpur where 265 children are being prepared to |
| social and cultural set ups to reshape their future as | | | | get admission in primary schools next year. 20 |
| Bangladeshi citizens by integrating with the | | | | students have completed their computer training |
| mainstream. | | | | course and another 20 are under training. The funds |
| Around 160,000 camp dwellers remained "stateless" | | | | and computers have been given by the affluent and |
| as neither Pakistan, nor Bangladesh recognized them | | | | philanthropists of the community. Al-Falah has an |
| as their nationals. The concerned authorities in | | | | ambitious target for 40 Foundation Schools, to be |
| Bangladesh never brought them under the fold of on | | | | established in another 36 camps and provide |
| going social and economic development. Dependent | | | | computer skill to 80 male and female students by the |
| and reliant largely on relief and charity, they were | | | | end of the current year. If the above can be |
| socially and economically excluded. As a result the | | | | achieved, it would bring about a substantial |
| level of poverty increased manifolds ruining two | | | | improvement in the lives of these unfortunate people. |
| generations of the Urdu speaking camp dwellers. | | | | After long delay the government of Bangladesh, |
| Al-Falah’s efforts for social, cultural and economic | | | | however, decided on 5 September 2007 to give |
| rehabilitation of the camp dwellers faced stiff | | | | citizenship to the Urdu speaking camp dwellers, enroll |
| resistance from many quarters in and outside | | | | their names in the voter’s list and issue them the |
| Bangladesh. Yet the organization campaigned for | | | | national identity cards. However, the recognition of |
| "development" rather than “relief”. | | | | citizenship will not solve all the social, cultural and |
| With the support from Manusher Jonno Foundation, | | | | economic issues. The government needs a policy and |
| (a local donor agency) UNHCR and UNESCO, several | | | | plan for the rehabilitation of about 160,000 people as |
| research works and surveys were conducted by | | | | equal citizens of the country. There exists no such |
| Alfalah to collect necessary data and determine the | | | | policy and plan. The present caretaker government is |
| social and cultural status of the camp dwellers. The | | | | constitutionally not in a position to undertake this task |
| findings were documented and disseminated among | | | | of policy formulation which means that the camp |
| the civil society, NGOs, CBOs (community based | | | | dwellers will need to wait for an elected democratic |
| organizations), UN System in Bangladesh, International | | | | government in Bangladesh which is due by the end of |
| Human Rights Organizations and local media with a | | | | 2008. |
| view to making them aware of the human rights | | | | Considering these aspects of the rehabilitation issue, |
| situation of the camp dwellers. Under the advocacy | | | | Al-Falah with support from Manusher Jonno |
| programs, Al-Falah projected the issues of the camp | | | | Foundation, has already drafted a 5-year strategic |
| dwellers through the media, met and discussed with | | | | plan for their rehabilitation with dignity and equal |
| high government officials on the issue of their | | | | status in the main stream of the society. The draft |
| citizenship and persuaded the Election Commission to | | | | plan has been developed with consultation of the civil |
| enroll them as voters so that they may also take | | | | society, NGOs, CBOs (community based |
| part in the local and national elections as equal citizens | | | | organizations), and human rights activists and |
| of the country. Al-Falah also organized rallies, human | | | | institutions and legal experts. However, the self help |
| chains, meetings, workshops and roundtable to | | | | education & skill development program under the |
| project the issues of the Urdu speaking community | | | | CDC remains the cornerstones of the strategic plan |
| and mobilize support for the solution of those issues. | | | | in this context. |
| Apart from research & advocacy, Alfalah initiated | | | | |