They said migration of people from plain land to the CHT region and expropriation of land were the two major reasons for ethnic clashes.

Some donors-aided projects to alleviate poverty have also turned into boomerang for ethnic people, the speakers added.

The seminar on 'Migration, Land Alienation and Ethnic Conflict: Causes of Poverty in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh" was held at the YWCA auditorium.

Deputy Minister for CHT Affairs Moniswapan Dewan attended the seminar as chief guest.

Samata Chairperson Khushi Kabir chaired the session while Director of the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury delivered the welcome address.

Swapan Adnan, professor of National University of Singapore, delivered the keynote speech on the topic.

The deputy minister said the hill people are suffering from frustration due to continuous economic and cultural aggression on them.

Secretary General of the Bangladesh Economic Association Prof. Abul Barakat said the rulers have deprived the hill people in the name of national interest.

Prof. M M Akash of Dhaka University said it is a matter of great pity that the outsiders are deciding everything for the highlanders.

Dr. Hamida Hossain, Prof Meghna Guhathakurata, Bangladesh Forum for the Indigenous People Secretary General Sanjeeb Drong, Philip Gain, Prof. Prasanta Tripura, and Kabita Chakma also spoke.