Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon spoke as special guest at the roundtable discussion titled "Indigenous Identity Is Irrelevant for Bangladesh." Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Aug 11, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon today said Bangladesh's demography or anthropology cannot be understood through the mindset or lens of immigrant thought.

He urged everyone not to fall into any trap and create a new narrative around the word 'indigenous.' 

"Bangladesh has no similarity with the realities of immigrant countries like Canada, the United States, Australia, or New Zealand," he said while speaking as a special guest at a roundtable discussion titled 'Indigenous' Identity Is Irrelevant for Bangladesh'. 

Chittagong Hill Tracts Research Foundation (CHTRF) organized the event at a hotel in Gulshan in the city this evening. 

The minister said, "Bangladesh's demography or anthropology cannot be understood through the mindset or lens of immigrant thought. Geographically and anthropologically, the term and concept of 'indigenous' in Bangladesh is completely irrelevant."

"In countries where outsider immigrants came and displaced the original inhabitants to form states, there is a historical grievance among the indigenous people and international organizations are working to atone for that sin. But in Bangladesh, no immigrant has come and displaced the original inhabitants to seize land," he added.

Swapon further said, "Our demography and nation have been formed through the natural evolutionary process of anthropology over thousands of years. Therefore, there is no scope for any conflict between outsider immigrants and indigenous peoples here."

He said that creating irrelevant debates over our national identity and demography could be a kind of subterfuge. 

The Information Minister also noted that the majority mindset alone cannot accurately understand the problems of minority ethnic groups.

The event was chaired by CHTRF Chairman and journalist Md. Mehedi Hasan Polash. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Abdullah Al Yusuf.