Hill Voice, 21 June 2020, Dhaka:  Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations are deeply shocked by the death of prominent journalist and cultural figure Kamal Lohani.

Language soldier and freedom fighter Kamal Lohani was a friend in the indigenous peoples’ crisis in Bangladesh till his death and played a vocal role in the rights of the indigenous peoples.

He used to stand by the side of the movement for the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord of 1997 and the crisis of the indigenous peoples of the hills.

Meanwhile, Sanjeeb Drong, General Secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum, has expressed shock over his death. Leaders of the Indigenous Peoples Forum mourn through virtual media, saying, “Indigenous peoples of Bangladesh have lost a true friend.”

On the other, the official Facebook page of the Parbatya Chattagra Pahari Chhatra Parishad expressed its condolences and said that Kamal Lohani will always be remembered by the indigenous peoples as a genuine friend of the movement for the implementation of the CHT Accord and the indigenous peoples of the hills and plains.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Hill Student Council has also paid a humble tribute to the him who raised his voice in various crisis and calamity of the Jum hills.

Hill Women’s Federation, human rights organization of indigenous people Kapaeeng Foundation, Bangladesh Indigenous Women’s Network, Bangladesh Adivasi Chhatra Sangram Parishad have also expressed their condolences over the death of the pioneer of the struggle for the establishment of a progressive and non-communal Bangladesh.

Kamal Lohani, who had many qualities, died of various complex diseases due to old age including after being infected with coronavirus.

Kamal Lohani died at 10 am on Saturday, 20 June 2020 at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sheikh Russell Gastroliver Institute and Hospital in Mohakhali.