To
The Hon’ble President,
Democratic Republic of
Bangladesh,
Bangabhavan, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Through: Hon’ble Deputy High
Commissioner, Deputy High Commission of Democratic Republic of Bangladesh
(Kolkata)
9, Circus Avenue, Kolkata –
700017
Subject:
Demand to form a High Influential Human Rights Commission comprising erudite
representatives of Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission, United Nations
Human Rights Council, Council of the European Union.
Dear Sir,
We, at the onset, with due respect,
would like to assert that our organization “Nikhil Banga Nagarik Sangha” is
committed to uphold basic human rights of people and therefore, has been
working as a Human Rights Group ever from the inception. From its formal
inception on November 23, 1977, the organization has been working on to
establish human rights of minority people persecuted and evicted from modern
day Bangladesh.
Minority persecution in the realm
of Bangladesh is unabated and there has been no end to this till date. It must
also be stated unflinchingly that a considerable section of the majority
community has become adept with oppressing minority communities. Whether it is
governance or political parties, all have failed to adopt apposite measures to
bring these nefarious incidents to a halt. They, virtually, prefer to remain
silent protagonists to all these. As a result, the minority population has
reduced to a staggering 10% by now from 30% of the entire population in 1947.
Albeit governments have pledged
to adopt stern measures against perpetrators in this worst of crime or minority
persecution, due to absence of proper actions they have remained mere words
only. This has incited culprits to go on with their malicious agenda to uproot
minority communities from their own ancestral lands. Minority population,
hence, are compelled to abandon their own country in dark nights and if recent
reports are studied meticulously, this trend is rising by leaps and bounds.
We, therefore, demand the
formation of high influential human rights commission comprising erudite
representatives of Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission, United Nations
Human Rights Council, Council of the European Union. This approach will be a
noble idea to save millions of minority people from a sordid destiny. This new
commission must be entitled to conduct an unprejudiced investigation into the
matters leading to the mounting minority persecution in Bangladesh and their
flight from this great country. A human and self-reliant Bangladesh is our one
and only desire.
We will be delighted to have your
reply in this regard.
Religious Persecutions on
Minority Religious Communities:
§
On
May 14, 2014, a group of radical Muslims took hold of the property belonging to
the Shivkali Temple of minority Hindus. The group of criminals was led by
Mohammed Yaad Ali, elected chairman of local Kishorepara Union council, also an
Awami League leader and a noted Islamist in the vicinity. The group turned up
with lethal weapons, seized 70 shatak land of the Devottar Property (worth 74
shatak in total). Apart from constructing a furnished room, a latrine has also
been made. Both are being used at the moment.
§
On
May 16, 2014, the residence of Ranjit Das, minority Hindu individual living in
the village of Sirajpur within the sub-district of Zakigunj in the district of
Sylhet, was attacked by a local leader of BNP’s labor front. The leader or
Mohammed Ferdous attacked the residence at 11.30 am along with his armed
followers. Apart from beating members of the Hindu family hollow, the whole
residence was set to fire using petrol. The whole property burnt down leading
to loss of Rs. 3 lakh taka. As stated by Mohammed Jamshed, officer-in-charge
(investigation) of the police station of Zakigunj, an FIR has been lodged.
Mohammed Ferdous has also been put behind the bar.
§
On
May 21, 2014, a stretch of land worth
Rs. 50 lakh taka belonging to Ranjit Roy and Ramen Roy, two minority Hindu
individuals, and located alongside old bus stand in the sub-district
headquarter of Ishwardi within the district of Pabna was captured forcibly by a
group of armed Islamists led by Mohammed Hyder Mian, president of Jatiya Party.
When members of Roy family attempted to deter the attackers, they were harmed
badly. Even if a litigation regarding the case is going on, the land property
has been seized.
§
On
May 19, 2014, 319 shatak land belonging to 12 minority Hindu families
inhabiting the village of Mukundapur within the Askarpur Union Council in the
district headquarter of Dinajpur were taken over by radical Muslims. On the
word of Matindranath Roy, a Hindu victim, militants wielding lethal weapons
inflicted worst terror on Hindus and captured lands.
§
On
May 21, 2014, the public Vishnu temple of minority Hindus living in Mallikpara
within the district headquarter of Coxbazar was attacked by police while the
religious worship was going on. The onslaught was carried out under the
leadership of mohammed firoz, deputy inspector of local police station. The
temple was both defiled and ransacked by Muslim police officials with malicious
intentions while the priest and worshippers there were harmed by shoulder
stocks of rifles. Later, Hindus were made sign a written confession that they
would not worship in Hindu manner anymore in the area. Due to the police
atrocity, 20 people including Sm. Jhanu Mallik, Sm. Chandana Mallik, Sm.
Shefali Das were injured critically. 6 of them have been learnt to be in
critical condition at the moment.
§
On
June 10, 2014, Indrajit Pandey, minority Hindu individual living in the village
of Mahishtali within the sub-district of Muksudupur in the district of
Gopalgunj, was tortured by local Muslim youths out of no reason. It was alleged
that he dared to insult Prophet Mohammed; later on, injured Indrajit was
abducted and was released only after a ransom of one-and-half lakh taka was
paid. The Hindu family has also been warned to move to India or else they will
be murdered soon.
§
On
June 4, 2014, at 8 pm, Sri Mohan Banshi, minority Hindu individual living in
the sub-district town of Bhaluka in the district of Mymensingh, was attacked in
his own residence by Mohammed Amanullah Khan, local leader of Awami League and
also an Islamist, and his team. Wielding a revolver, the Islamist compelled
hapless Sri Mohan Banshi to sign a legal document stating that the transfer of
entire property worth 4 acres of land including the residence to him was
enacted willingly. Islamists seized the property within a next few minutes. The
Hindu family is in the street these days.
§
On
June 6, 2014, Upru Marma (age 30), a tribal and minority Buddhist female
teacher in the Ananda School, located within the Raong Chari sub-district
within the district of Bandarban, was abducted while she was returning. Later
on, she was gang-raped and hacked to death. The horrific incident was conducted
by a team of Islamists led by Mohammed Muslim Mian, local Islamist.
§
On
June 4, 2014, a group of radical Muslims carried out a series of attacks on a
temple of minority Hindus living in the village of Dighlia within the
sub-district of Kotalipara in the district of Gopalgunj. Soon Muslims completed
the namaz, they attacked the Hindu temple, injured Sukdeb Roy (age 50), the
main priest, and desecrated and destructed both the Holy Deity and the hallowed
temple. Chanting slogans “Hindu Jodi banchte chao bharot e chole jao.
Bangladesh e murti puja bondho koro”. (if Hindus want to live , they must go to
India. Idol worship has to be stopped in Bangladesh)
§
On
June 12, 2014, a group of armed Islamists pumped bullets into the chests of
both Satya Chakma and Viswa Chakma, minority Buddhist tribal, in the area of
Betchari within the sub-district of Naniachar in the district of Rangamati.
Both of them expired almost immediately.
§
On
May 9, 2014, Mrs. Chandana Sarkar, a minority Hindu housewife, was killed by
Mohammed Giyasuddin, an Islamist and also guard of Jubaitala Plaza in the
district city of Shariatpur. It has been learnt, the Hindu housewife went out
to have water from the governmental water faucet located beside the plaza.
Giyasuddin attempted to rape her but due to the failure, he attacked the Hindu
lady violently, kicked at several parts of her body repeatedly leading to her
brutal death.
§
On
June 15, 2014, local Islamists demanded 2 lakh taka as jiziya tax from Dipak
Chandra Das, minority Hindu individual, living in Maigram within the
sub-district of Lohagara in the district of Narail. When he declined to give,
his residence was attacked and burnt down.
§
On
May 11, 2014, the residence of Sushanta Kumar Das, minority Hindu individual
and also leader of local Hindus, in the village of Ranjit within the
sub-district of Rampal in the district of Bagerhat, was assailed by a group of
Muslim radicals. The armed group, apart from injuring members of his family,
ransacked the entire house and set it to fire.
§
On
April 27, 2014, Islamists, as part of a malicious design, attacked minority
Hindus living in the village of Bagchi Sitarampur under the Hoala police
station’s jurisdiction in the district of Coomilla. Accusing local Hindus of
defaming Prophet Mohammed, Islamists had conducted a campaign for 3 hours at a
stretch. It was followed by an armed attack of more than 300 Islamists. Besides
persecuting Hindus, no less than 40 houses of Hindus were pillaged and burnt
down later.
§
On
June 28, 2014, a group of Muslims with lethal weapons attacked Juran Biswas,
minority Hindu individual inhabiting the village of Dhemakuri located in the
sub-district headquarter within the district of Gopalgunj. The attack was led
by Mohammed Shahadat Hussain, notorious Muslim radical inhabiting the
neighboring village. The destruction went on for hours.
§
On
June 13, 2014, more than 200 Muslims, following namaz, attacked the kali temple
of minority Hindus in the village of Mahishguli within the sub-district of
Muksudpur in the district of Gopalgunj. Even if Hindus tried to resist the
onslaught, they were attacked by the police force as well leading to critical
injury of 15 Hindus.
§
On
April 6, 2014, Palash Das, minority Bangladeshi Hindu individual, while
returning from India was robbed by two armed
Islamic criminals namely Mohammed Babul Hussain and Sharful Islam within
a few distance of Benapol border. Palash lives in the village of Khabarda
within the sub-district of Jhikargacha in the district of Jessore.
§
On
July 7, 2014, Rathin Saha, minority Hindu leader inhabiting the sub-district of
Shivalaya in the district of Manikgunj was beaten mercilessly by a group of
radical Muslims all of a sudden and out of no reason.
§
On
July 7, 2014, hundreds of minority Hindus were witnessed to burst into protest
in Banaraipara headquarters of Barisal district. They were asked to pay 20, 000
each to the revenue collector to include their bestowed property in Tafsil.
Once Hindus started agitating, they were attacked by a huge police force. As a
result, 30 Hindus were critically injured.
§
On
July 7, 2014, the residence of Subhas Chandra Das, highly wretched Hindu
individual living in Madhavdi headquarters in the district of Narsingdi, was
ransacked by a group of armed Islamists led by Ibrahim Bablu and Jubair
Hossain, local youth leaders of Awami League and also notorious Muslim
radicals. Sukhranjan Banik, a local Hindu individual, got hurt as a
result.
§
On
July 7, 2014, Jamir Khan, infamous Muslim radical and also local leader of
Awami League, attempt to rape Saraswati Baroi, minority Hindu woman and member
of Awami League also, but it failed owing to her desperate resistance. As a
result, she was beaten mercilessly. Now, she is admitted in hospital in a
critical condition and the incident took place in the Amgram area within the
Rajoir sub-district in the district of Madaripur.
§
On
July 2, 2014, Bikash Chakma, minority Buddhist individual living in Goachari
area within Guimara sub-district in the district of Khagrachari, was killed by
armed Islamic militants.
§
On
July 2, 2014, more than 400 Islamists forayed into the ISKCON temple located at
Swamibag area in Dhaka. Hindu devotees within the temple premises were busy
then with the preparations of incumbent Rathyatra and without any reason, the
fierce Muslim mob started pelting stones. Even if police officials were present
there, they preferred to remain silent.
§
On
July 8, 2014, Sabita Rani Biswas (age 17), Hindu girl student living in the
village of Golabari within the sub-district of Ullapara in the district
Shahzadpur, was abducted by local Islamists including Ashraful Mian and Sabuj
Mian.
§
On
July 7, 2014, Ananya Sarkar (age 14), daughter of Aditya Sarkar, minority Hindu
individual living in the village of Sashikar within the district of Madaripur,
was kidnapped by local Muslim youths. The shocking event took place when she
was returning from the school. Mohammed Rana (age 20) kidnapped her wielding a
revolver. The helpless father registered an official complaint (No.24 dated
10.05.2014 under sections 7/3 under repressions against women and children) to
the local police station. She was recovered on the same day.
§
On
July 5, 2014, local Islamists desecrated and also destroyed the Holy Deity and
also temple of minority Hindus in Chourkhan Chakanjan area under police
outpost’s jurisdiction in Mymensingh district headquarters. Police, in this
context, arrested several Islamists including Mohammed Abdul Jalil, Mohammed
Rezzaq, Mohammed Faruq, Miss Sandhu Khatun, Miss Yasmin, Miss Rehena Begum and
Miss Hosenara. A complaint was also registered against them – No. 24 dated
07.06.2014 under sections 143/147/427/323/295/506 Bangladesh Penal Code.
§
On
July 15, 2014, Mahsin Mollah, local radical Muslim, demanded 2 lakh taka as
Jiziya tax from a Hindu family inhabiting the village of Gandhisur within the
sub-district headquarters in the district of Gopalgunj. Once the Hindu family
declined, Amit Gharami (age 14), one and only son of the Hindu family, was
beaten to death by Mahsin and his accomplices.
§
Persecution
and expulsion of Hindus that started from august 14, 1947 has been in full
swing up till now and there is no indication that it will end ever. In this
context, Mollakandi village within the sub-district headquarters in the
district of Gopalgunj can be cited as a good instance. In 2005, the village
used to have 5, 000 Hindus and by 2014, it has come down to a single Hindu
family. And this sole Hindu family there contains 6 members. The family is
headed by Chunilal Kirtania and now, local Muslims led by Mohammed Nazir Mollah
and Shahidul Mollah, two Islamists, are using every trick to expel this family
too. They have asked Chunilal to transfer his entire property to them and move
to India. Persecutions on this family are increasing steadily.
Regards,
Subhash Chakraborty
(General Secretary, Nikhil Banga
Nagarik Sangha)
Cc: Hon’ble Prime Minister,
Government of India
Cc: Hon’ble Minister of External
Affairs, Government of India
Cc: Hon’ble Governor, Government
of West Bengal
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