Why Are Bengali Women Facing Discrimination in Midwifery Education in the CHT?
News Desk
The Chittagong Hill Tracts — comprising Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban — is home to various ethnic minorities as well as a significant population of Bengali residents. Bengali communities in the hills have long struggled for access to education, healthcare, and basic government facilities. However, a recently published notice by the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, on March 2, 2025, has exposed a new level of discrimination against Bengali women living in these areas.
According to the official notice, for the 2024-25 academic year, special privileges have been announced for ethnic minority women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts seeking admission into the three-year Diploma in Midwifery program. These privileges include free admission-related orientation, logistical support, and other benefits. However, these opportunities are exclusively reserved for indigenous women, blatantly excluding Bengali women from the region. This is a clear act of discrimination against Bengali female students living in the same area under similar socio-economic and educational hardships.
The notice was signed by Md. Anwar Hossain Akand, Acting Director General and Chief Secretary of the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212.
The Government of Bangladesh has always highlighted its commitment to improving women’s education and ensuring women’s empowerment. But this special admission policy for the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which benefits only indigenous women while excluding Bengali women, raises a fundamental question — is this fair?
The issue becomes even more critical when one considers the reality that Bengali women living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts face the same socio-economic challenges — poverty, lack of access to education, and insufficient healthcare facilities. Why, then, should special privileges be extended to only one group while the others are systematically excluded?
A Clear Picture of Discrimination
The government directive specifies that approximately 300 ethnic minority female students from Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban will have the opportunity to participate in the midwifery education fair. However, there is no mention of Bengali women in this list.
In a democratic state that upholds the principle of equality, is it acceptable to enforce such a biased policy? According to Article 28(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh:
“The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.”
Excluding Bengali women living in the same geographical and socio-economic context is a direct violation of this constitutional principle.
Why This Discrimination Against Bengali Women?
The official explanation from the administration is that ethnic minority women are educationally backward and therefore deserve special privileges. However, the reality is that Bengali women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are equally disadvantaged. They too suffer from a lack of access to quality education, economic marginalization, and limited healthcare services.
Due to the existing quota system in government jobs in the region, Bengali candidates already face severe disadvantages in employment opportunities. Now, they are being subjected to the same discriminatory treatment in educational opportunities as well.
Many believe this is part of the complex political and ethnic equation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Strengthening the National Midwifery Programme (SNMP), implemented by the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery with technical assistance from UNFPA, was designed specifically for indigenous women. However, excluding Bengali women altogether from such opportunities reflects blatant and unjust discrimination.
The Demand for Justice from Bengali Women
Bengali female student Habiba Jannat expressed her frustration:
“The government should reconsider this discriminatory policy. Access to education should be equal for all citizens. In a crucial field like midwifery, restricting opportunities to only one community goes against the very principles of national development.”
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The Demands of the Bengali Community
- Equal Opportunities for All Women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts: Both Bengali and indigenous women should have equal access to midwifery education programs.
- Immediate Withdrawal of Discriminatory Policies: Any policy that grants exclusive benefits to one group while excluding others must be revoked.
- Policy Reformation: All government policies related to the Chittagong Hill Tracts must be revised to ensure fairness and inclusivity for all communities.
- Empowerment for All Women: Equal educational and healthcare opportunities must be ensured for all women in the region so that they can contribute equally to national development.
In Conclusion
Bangladesh is a multicultural society where equal rights for all communities must be ensured. Limiting midwifery education opportunities to only indigenous women, while excluding equally deserving Bengali women, directly contradicts the constitutional principle of equality. Bengali women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts deserve the same opportunities. The notice issued by the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery, signed by Md. Anwar Hossain Akand on March 2, 2025, should be revised to include all communities. The government must uphold justice and fairness by ensuring equal opportunities for all women and upholding the principles of equality and inclusivity in policy formulation and implementation.
-Editorial Department
Southeast Asia Journal