Hindus of Bangladesh

Three other incidents of breaking the Durga Idol by Muslims fundamentalists

2011-10-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

An artisan is trying to repair the broken hand of the clay image of Goddess Durga as some unidentified muslim miscreants damaged it at a temple in Khulna city on Friday. [focus bangla photo, Daily Sun

1. Place : village – Simulia, Sadar Upazila – Jhalkathi. Dist. Adminstrator Mr. Ashok Biswas confirmed the attack. Police Super Mohammad Mozid Ali inspected the place of occurance.

2. Place : Rajsahi, Tanore Municipality. In the area of Samaspur, Durga Image was desecrated in the Hari Temple puja site. The 4 images (clay idols) of Goddess Lakshi (2), Goddess Saraswati (1), and Lord Kartick (1) were destroyed in the night time. The main culprit and the perpetrator is one Iskamil Mridha as revealed. Intensive police posting is ordered by the authority to maintain the peace. The Secretary of the Hari Mandir Durgotsav Committee has filed a case against 15 Muslim miscreants so far.

3. Durga Image destroyed in Khulna reports Daily Sun on 17th Sept 2011.

4. It is in the air that Hindus of Coxbazar are likely to boycott the Durga Puja this year to protest over hard regulation and persecution upon them.

The artisans are engaged in repairing the clay image of Goddess Durga as some unidentified miscreants damaged it at a temple in Khulna city on Friday on 16/09/2011.

Newslink

Violence was occurred in the DUET (Dahaka University of Enginnering and Technology) at Gazipur between the Muslims and the Hindu Student

2011-09-28T02:27:00.000-07:00

Fresh violence was occurred in the DUET (Dahaka University of Enginnering and Technology) at Gazipur between the Muslims and the Hindu Student, when the later group was demonstrating in a road blockade in Dhaka-Gazipur-Shimultali Road after the Durga Mandop (Temporary installation house of the deity) was completely razed to ground by a Muslim group comprising 30-35 heads.

Sri Mridulkanti Das, Secretary of ‘Vani Archna Samsad’ unit (i.e. the socio clutural observation furom for Sanatanis/Hindus) of the university conveyed that the respective administration had given the written permission to the Hindu students to perform the Durga Puja but a strong group of the Jamatees in the DUET students always propagate Islam in the university and put impediment to conduct any function of the Hindus in DUET and other UET campus as their anti-infidel agenda.

undefinedThe General Hindu Students Union Of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Gazipur (DUET) are now demanding a Permanent Hindu Temple in the DUET Campus. Already Muslims have managed their own fund by giving personal donation of each Hindu student. But the university Authority and some Muslim student have protested to make a permanent Hindu temple in the Campus. General Hindu studentas claimed “there is a three storied artistic Mosque but whenever we are trying to build a Hindu Temple by our own fund authority and some Muslim students are making obstacles even providing threat to stop the work of construction including Durga Puja.” It is the matter of regret that there are huge Hindu Students are reading in The DUET but they have no permanent Temple in the campus. The General Hindu Students are afraid, many Hindu Student are still confined in the campus. All Conscientious people should support them and raise voice against this discrimination as appealed by the Hindu Student Union in their flyer distrubuted at the time of agitation.

The whole matter is now intervened by Prof. Dr. Abu Nayeem Sheikh, in-charge of students’ welfare committee and Prof. Abul Kasheem, Dean of Computer Deptt. of DUET. Policed reached the place to maintain the law and order as reported.

Two Durga idols wrecked in Dinajpur

2011-09-23T01:20:00.000-07:00

Protesting Puja Committee members in front of the wrecked image of Goddess Durga under construction. in Dinajpur. BD NF Photo.

Dinajpur || 23rd Sept. 2011 || Unidentified miscreants wrecked two idols of Durga in two upazilas of Dinajpur district on Thursday night, a few days ahead of the biggest festival of the Hindu community.

The four-day Durga puja starts on October 2.

The incidents took place at Paikpara village under Birol upazila and Deior Salghoria village under Birampur upzila.

Dinajpur police super Moinul Islam confirmed the sacrilege and said the police had started investigations into the incidents.

He said the police already arrested a man in Birol on suspicion of his involvement in the crime.

Parimal Chakrabarty, a leader of the Dinajpur district Puja Udjapon Parishad, expressed his concern at the incidents and called on the district administration to step up security at the Hindu temples.

Three Durga sculpture destroyed in Bandarban

2011-09-20T02:24:00.000-07:00

Bandarban | 20th Sept. 2011: Some miscreants broke three sculpture (pratima/protima) of goddess Durga at a temple at Vorir Muk under Alikadam upazila of Bandarban district Sunday night.

The images were built in preparation for celebrating the upcoming Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindus.

The temple authority said a gang of miscreants numbering 8-10 had come to the temple and suddenly attacked them with sticks and sharp weapons while they had been in a meeting on the temple premises and stabbed three people. They had also broken the three images.

One of the critically injured, Monomohan Karmokar, president of the temple authority, was admitted to Alikadam Upazila Health Complex.

Md Iqbal, officer-in-charge of Alikadam police station, said on information they had rushed to the spot and nabbed one Abul Kalam in this connection at night.

Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman, Police Super Kamrul Hasan and Bandarban Puja Udjapan Parishad leaders visited the spot Monday morning.

A case was filed in this connection.

Burglary at Dhakeshwari temple

2011-01-10T05:56:00.000-08:00

→ Staff Correspondent

A CID officer carries out a thorough search at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital on Sunday to collect evidence following a daring robbery of about 200 tolas of gold ornaments at the temple. MEHEDI HASAN

Unknown miscreants stole 200 tolas of gold and silver ornaments and Tk 450,000 in cash from Dhakeshwari Temple at Lalbagh in the city early Sunday. Tapan Bhattacharya, keeper of the temple, said priests Ratan Chakraborty and Nitya Gopal Chakraborty locked the temple around 9:00pm on Saturday and they found three of the four locks missing when they came to reopen the temple next morning. Police said miscreants had stolen gold and cash money from the temple sometime after midnight. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Lalbagh zone) Mohammad Khurshid Alam said they had launched a probe into the theft. Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Sarbajanin Puja Udjapan Committee Babul Devnath has expressed deep concern over the incident. He said, “A theft took place at Baradeshwari Kali Temple on December 12 and another at Joykali Temple on December 22. We demand proper investigations into all these incidents.”

Source: www.daily-sun.com

Dhakeshwari temple looted

2011-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

Staff Reporter

At least 200 tolas (bhori) of gold ornaments, six tolas of silver ornaments and Tk 4.5 lakh in cash were stolen from the city's Dhakeshwari Temple early Sunday.

Worship at Dhakeswari National Temple has been suspended for an indefinite period following the incident.

Nirnal Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of Mohanagar Sarbo Janin Puja Committee, told reporters the 'Sebayet Ratan Chakraborti and Nitya Gopal Chakraborti left the temple at around 9:00pm on Saturday night after locking all rooms, including the main temple. But in the morning all locks were found missing.

"Donated by the devotees the ornaments were decorated with the image of goddess Kali while the money were kept in the boxes in front of the goddess," said Nirmal Chatterjee and added, "We suspect, an organized gang is involved in the burglary."

He alleged that earlier they had informed the government authorities several times about the insecurity of the temple, but nothing was done in this connection.

After the incident, a protest meeting was held in front of the temple in the morning when the temple committee also announced another protest meeting for today (Monday).

Mohanagar Sarobojanin Puja Committee President Biresh Chandra Saha filed a general diary (GD) with Chawkbazar police station in this connection.

Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Sarbajanin Puja Udjapon Committee Babul Devnath has expressed deep concern over the incident. He said, "A theft took place at Baradeswari Kali Temple on Dec 12 and another at Jaykali Temple on Dec 22. We demand proper investigations into all these incidents."

Khurshid Hossain the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Lalbagh Zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told The New Nation that they detained four persons including security guards and cleaners for questioning.

NewsSource: thenewnationbd.com

200 tolas gold stolen from national temple

2011-01-10T05:51:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 10, 2011
Staff Correspondent

Around 200 tolas of gold ornaments and Tk 4.5 lakh in cash were stolen from Dhakeshwari Mandir in the city on Saturday night.

Worshiping in the temple remained stopped since yesterday morning in protest of the theft. Police detained four persons including the security guards and cleaners.

Nirmal Chatterjee, joint secretary of Mahanagar Sarbojaneen Puja Committee, said two sebayets (people that conduct pujas) left locked all the locks of the main temple on Saturday night and found all the locks missing on return yesterday morning.

“All the ornaments were worn on the bodies of three goddesses as devotees presented those. The money was kept in the boxes in front of the goddesses.”

“We suspect an organised gang is involved in the burglary,” Nirmal said.

Nirmal alleged that they had informed the government authorities several times of the insecurity of Dhakeshwari temple, but in vain.

A protest meeting was held in front of the temple yesterday morning when the temple committee announced another protest rally today.

The puja committee President Biresh Chandra Saha filed a general diary (GD) with Chawkbazar Police Station.

Source: thedailystar.net

Dhakeswari Temple looted

2011-01-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

image: A Criminal Investigation Department man investigates a robbery at Dhakeswari Temple in Dhaka on Sunday. — New Age photo

Staff Correspondent

Thieves stole huge amount of gold and silver ornaments adorned on Goddess Durga, charity boxes full of uncounted amount of money, and about Tk 4.5 lakh in cash from the vault of Dhakeswari Mandir on Saturday night.

The burglars broke open four locks of the temple’s main gate after it was closed at about 9:00pm on Saturday and took away 200 bhori gold, six bhori of silver ornaments, and also broke the vault inside the main chamber to take the cash, the authorities said.

Temple authorities said they found the locks broken and everything stolen when they came to start the day’s worship at 6:00am.

Chawkbazar thana police officer Ekram Hossain said the temple’s night guard and three other employees were detained for interrogation in connection with a case filed by Dhaka Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee president BS Chandra Saha.

Saturday’s theft, the third such heist in Hindu Temples in the capital in a span of 18 days, will create a negative impact on the Hindu community, said Dhaka Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee general secretary Babul Devnath.

Ornaments worth more than Tk 10 lakh were also stolen from the Baradeswari Kali Mandir on December 12 and Joykali Mandir on December 22.

Local lawmaker Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddn and senior officials of different law enforcing agencies including DMP commissioner Benazir Ahmed visited Dhakeshwari Mandir on Saturday.

Officers of other law enforcing agencies including CID and RAB also inspected the crime spot.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Lalbagh zone’s deputy commissioner Mohammad Khurshid Alam told reporters that a thorough investigation would be carried out and those involved would be brought to book.

The temple authorities said worshipping remained suspended since Sunday morning.

Source: NewAgebd

Huge gold ornaments stolen from Dhakeshwari

2011-01-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

Star Online Report

Two hundreds tolas of gold ornaments and Tk 4.5 lakh in cash were stolen from the city's Dhakeshwari Temple early Sunday.

Protesting the incident, worship in the temple remained stopped since the morning.

Police detained four people, including security guards and cleaners, in this connection.

Nirnal Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of Mohanagar Sarbo Janin Puja Committee, told The Daily Star, 'Sebayet Ratan Chakraborti and Notya Gopal Chakraborti had left locked all the locks of the main temple at around 9:00pm on Saturday night and they found all the locks missing when they returned at around 6:00am this morning.'

'All the ornaments were ornamented with the body of goddess Kali as these were given by the devotees while the money were kept in the boxes in front of the goddess", said Nirmal Chatterjee and added, 'We suspect, an organized gang is involved in the burglary."

He alleged that earlier they had informed the government authorities several times about the insecurity of the temple, but nothing was done inn this connection.

After the incident, a protest meeting was held in front of the temple in the morning when the temple committee also announced another protest meeting for tomorrow.

Mohanagar Sarobojanin Puja Komit President Biresh Chandra Saha filed a General Diary with Chawkbazar Police Station in this connection.

Deputy Commissioner Khurshid Hossain of Lalbagh division told The Daily Star that they detained four persons for questioning.

'We feel something mysterious behind the incident and we are hopeful that the mystery will be unearthed soon", he said.

Earlier, all the ornaments and cash money were stolen from the city's two other temples--Joy Kali Temple on December 22 and Barodeshwari Kali Mandir on December 11.

News Source: The Daily Star

Kidnapping of Hindu Girls for Raping or Conversion and Marriage to Muslims

2010-05-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dr Radhasyam Brahmachari

Status of non-Muslims in an Islamic State:

It is well known that Hindus are treated as third grade citizens, or not citizens at all, in Islamic countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. The reader may have an idea regarding how Hindus (or other non-Muslims) are treated in an Islamic state from a conversation between Sultan Alauddin Khilji and a qazi called Mughisuddin, narrated by Muslim chronicler Ziauddin Barni in Tarikh-i-Firozshahi.

One day Qazi Mughisuddin visited the court of Sultan Alauddin Khilji and his court chronicler Ziauddin Barni writes, “The Sultan asked the qazi, ‘How are Hindus designated in the (Islamic) law, as payers of tribute (Kharaj-gauzar) or giver of tribute (Kharaj-dih)?’ The qazi replied, ‘They are called payers of tribute and when the revenue officer demands silver from them, they should, without question and with all humility and respect, tender gold. If the officer throws dirt into their mouths, they must without reluctance open their mouths wide to receive it. By doing so, they show their respect for the officer. The due subordination of the Zimmi (tribute payer) is exhibited in this humble payment and by this throwing of dirt in their mouths. The glorification of Islam is a duty. … Allah holds them in contempt, for He says, ‘Keep them in subjection’. To keep the Hindus in abasement is especially a religious duty because they are the most inveterate enemies of the Prophet and because the Prophet has commanded us to slay them, plunder them and make them captive, saying, ‘Convert them to Islam or kill them, enslave them and spoil their wealth and property. No doctor but the great doctor (Hanifa), to whose school we belong, has asserted to the imposition of the jezya (poll tax) on Hindus. Doctors of other schools allow no other alternative but ‘death or Islam’.” (H. M. Elliot & J. Dowson, HISTORY OF INDIA: As Told by It’s Own Historians, III,184) One should notice that, though the above incident took place quite a long time ago and by this time many things might have changed but not the Islamic psyche. So, the attitude of the Muslims towards Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and other non-Muslims in the Islamic Pakistan and Bangladesh remained unaltered even today.

As a result of the said Islamic attitude, bloody religious persecution is continuing against Hindus and other non-Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where Hindus are being converted to Islam by force, Hindu children are designated as Malauns or kafir-kutta (infidel dogs) and forced to perform namaz and roja or Ramathan fasting. Hindu employees are severely beaten up or killed within the factory premises and Hindu farmers and labours are forced to do their jobs as bonded labours, with very paltry payment. In Pakistan, Hindu children are denied admission in schools and provocations and hatred against Hindus are inserted in the school text books. Recently in Afghanistan, the Talibans imposed jejiya or poll tax on Hindus and Sikhs. Above all, the atrocity on Hindu women is really gruesome and pathetic.

Most importantly, abduction of Hindu girls and women, and molesting and raping them has become a regular occurrence in Bangladesh and Pakistan. In many cases, young and charming Hindu girls are married to Muslims, after their forceful conversion to Islam. It is also important to note that, such atrocities against Hindu women are now being regularly perpetrated in the Muslim majority districts, and also in the Muslim dominated pockets of West Bengal and other states. A few examples of such offences against Hindu women are narrated below.

Incidents in Bangladesh:

Since the October 2001 general election in Bangladesh that brought Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)- Jamat-E-Islam led coalition government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to power for the second time, a new wave of brutality and violence has been unleashed against the minorities, the Hindus, Budhists, Christians and tribal people. The violence against minorities has surpassed that of 1992, when Begum Zia became the Prime Minister for the first time. Hundreds of thousands of minority families have been affected. The violence range from gang rape and abduction of minor children to elderly women, brutality, murders, attack on temples, churches and orphanage, looting, land grabbing, eviction and forced conversion to Islam. Minorities are being forced to pay Jizya tax to live in their own ancestral homes. The law enforcement authorities are not providing protection to the minorities, rather helping the criminals commit their heinous acts of barbaric dimensions. The violence against religious minorities has been going on unabated.

Anju Rani Das (16), a Hindu School Girl Kidnapped and Gang Raped on 19th March, 2010 at Patuakhali:

Hardly a week ago, Anju Rani Das, a Hindu adolescent school girl (16) gang-raped after kidnapping her from custody of her brother on 19th March, 2010, at Baufol Sub-district of Patuakhali district of Bangladesh. She was a student of Class IX standard was seized forcibly and kidnapped from custody of her elder brother Her father Amullya Chandra Das (45) is a resident of Kolapara village in the Patuakhali district. .Anju Rani Das was physically assaulted, their belongings loote by the perpetrators and took the victim away at Kaina and more than 8 Muslim perpetrators raped her one after another. Kaina is 10-15 kilometres away from the Baufal police station. Initially the local people came to know about this incident of gang-rape and informed the police.

The police then identified 8 miscreants, namely (1) Hanif Howlader ( 38), (2) Bashir Mollah (30), (3) Forkan Howlader (25), (4) Mohammad Masum – a.k.a. commander Masud (28), (5) Jamal Khan (35), (6) Mohammad Liton (25), (7) Abdul Mannan (30) and (8) Md. Abul Kalam (32).

The victim lodged first information report (FIR) at Boufol police station (case No. 20 dated 20.03.2010 under section 9(3)30 of Women and Children Repression Ordinace,2003 and 341/379 of Bangladesh penal code) against those perpetrators. Out of eight perpetrators two have been arrested by police in the meantime: Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) Dhaka, immediately communicated with the Superintendent of Police, Patuakhali (Cell number: +01713374311) who admitted this unfortunate incident and he informed BDMW that two perpetrators are: Md.Hanif Howlader (38) and Md. Bashir Mollah (30) have been arrested. (courtesy: Advocate Rabindra Ghosh)

Bangladeshi Hindu Girl Abducted, Forced to Convert to Islam:

On October 7, 2009, the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) recently reported the abduction and forced conversion of a Bangladeshi Hindu girl to Islam; two human rights organizations, Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) and Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) also investigated it. At 12:45am on 13 June, 2009, Koli Goswami was asleep in her bed when five Muslims broke into the family home in Ghosai Chandura, located in northern Bangladesh. They vandalized the home and grabbed the 21-year old Koli

Koli Goswami, a Victim of abduction and conversion to Islam

Koli Goswami, a Victim of abduction and conversion to Islam

Goswami, a college student. She cried out, but the miscreants easily overpowered her and covered her head to muffle the screams. When others in the house came to her aid, the perpetrators drew their guns, started shooting, and carried off the girl even as she struggled to break free. Her family has not seen her since that night three months ago.

According to human rights activist Rabindra Ghosh, who investigated this case, police deny that any crime occurred and refuse to file a case despite physical evidence of a break-in, which they admit having; the family’s video taped testimony. The legal complaint was however lodged by the girl’s guardians; Who also requested the police locate and recover their daughter. Police, on the other hand, tried to paint the incident as a love affair and refused to admit it as a case of kidnapping. “It is not kidnapping. It is a love affair between the kidnapper and victim”, said the police officer.

Hindu Girl Kidnapped, Converted to Islam, Raped and Married to a Muslim in Satkhira:

According to a report appeared in the March 27, 2007 edition of Dainik Statesman, a Calcutta based Bengali daily, 7 advocates kidnapped a minor Hindu girl, daughter of Hiralal Das of Babulia village under the police station of Satkhira, in the district of Khulna, Bangladesh. According to the criminal case filed by Motirani Das, the mother of the unfortunate girl, 7 culprits, namely (1) Ajharul Islam, (2) Sirajul Islam, (3) Rezauddaula Bachchu, (4) Haidar Ali, (5) Imam Hossain, (6) Ashraful Alam Siddiqi and (7) Rizaul Islam committed the crime.. Investigations revealed that the culprits kidnapped the daughter of Hiralal Das on March 13, from the village Babulia. On the next day, they took her to the Satkhira court and converted her to Islam by a affidavit (on which she was forced to put her signature) and on the same day, by another affidavit, she was married to Haidar Ali. The above mentioned affidavits were prepared by other culprits Ajharul Islam and Sirajul Islam.

Kidnapping and Forceful Conversion of Two Minor Hindu Girls to Islam in Bangladesh

According to a report by Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) published on August 5, 2002, two minor Hindu girls, namely Sushma Rani Malo (15), daughter of Shri Anil Chandra Malo and Putul Rani Malo (15), daughter of Shri Monoranjan Malo of village Kulpaddy, Police Station and District of Madaripur, were kidnapped from their houses one kilometer from Madaripur police station. The guardians of the victims described in a very heart-rending manner to Advocate Rabindra Ghosh, President HRCBM, Dhaka, Bangladesh, that their minor daughters were students of Class VIII. The minor girls were kidnapped by some Muslims of the same village, led by the Imman of Madaripur Sadar Hospital Mosque. They were forced to sign an affidavit that they are 19 years of age and they wanted to convert to Islam at their own will on 25th of July, 2002. In addition, they were allured and detained and compelled by some Muslims of the same locality, particularly the supporters of Jamal-E-Islami Party, to swear an affidavit by a Notary Public at Madaripur.

The victims, Putul Rani Malo and Sushma Rani Malo, came back to their parents on 25th July, 2002, in the evening. On hearing the news that the two girls had gone back to their parents some Jamal-E-Islamic supporters numbering about 250/300 surrounded the houses of the victim-girls at about 11 P.M. at night. The criminals started assaulting Arun Chandra Malo (26), brother of victim Sushma Rani Malo. Arun Chandra Malo sustained severe injuries on the lower portion of the eyes, which were still visible after 8 days. He was under the treatment of local doctor. Ultimately those two victim girls were again kidnapped by the Muslim criminals on 26th July, 2002. The police and law enforcement authorities did neither provide any protection to the girls and their families nor arrested the criminals.

Not only that the miscreants with the help of some police officials of Madaripur police station tactfully obtained an undertaking from the guardians of the victim girls that they do not like to lodge any complain with the police and they did not take any cases against the criminals. Advocate Rabindra Ghosh finally was successful in filing two F.I.R.’s with the Madaripur Police Station during his visit. As per statements of the guardians of the victims, the following criminals were identified, all of them from the village of Kulpaddy, P.O, P.S. and District of Madaripur, who were primarily responsible for the offence and their names are in the F.I.R.

Sumi Rani Saha, a Hindu girl could not rescued after three months of her abduction:

The Daily Amar Desh (Bangladeshi daily) reported on August 6, 2007, that police could not rescue Sumi Rani Saha (14), a Hindu school going student even after three months of her abduction. Law enforcing agency also could not know whether Sumi was alive or she was killed after her abduction. Swapon Saha, father of Sumi Rani Saha is now moving at the door of police and different human rights organizations after he failed to find out his daughter. However, the police could arrest a youth named Mamun in this connection but failed to collect any information from him the whereabouts of Sumi Rani Saha. It was learnt that National Women Lawyers Association was trying to rescue Sumi Rani Saha.

A Hindu Teenage Girl Kidnapped and Raped in Natore District:

According to a press report released by The Daily Janakantha, a Dhaka based Bengali daily, on May 20, 2007, a minority girl named Beauty Rani(16) was kidnapped and raped in Natore district, although the victim used to regard the rapist as her sworn father (Dharma-baba). She could not be rescued despite repeated requests to the law enforcing authorities. Beauty’s mother told the police that a man named Gazi who was a ring leader during the regime of the alliance government came to her house on Thursday night and took Beauty to his house saying that he had some important talks with her. When aunty of Beauty Satyarani and a man named Narayan resisted Beauty, they were scolded by Gazi at that time. Every local of the area was afraid of Gazi. Later, Gazi did not take her in his house rather took her in a banana garden and there he beat Beauty and raped her threatening to kill her if she discloses it to anyone else and then fled from the spot. A case was lodged in this connection with the police station on Friday and the medical test of Beauty was also done. Police told that there were many cases against terrorist Gazi. The locals told that Gazi and his associates were very silent for so many days after the hand over of the power of the alliance government. But recently, they got very active. They again started snatching at the dead of night and other crimes.

Chanda Rani, a Hindu Girl Kidnapped and Forcefully Converted to Islam:

According to a report by HRCBM, on August 3, 2007, Chanda Rani Das, a minor Hindu girl (15), daughter of Ms.Sumitra Rani Das (Mother) and Bikash Chandra Das (Father) of Shanti Nagar Lane, under police station Sonadanga, in the district of Khulna, was kidnapped on 10th July,2007 from Khulna town by Shamim Aktar (nick-named Maya) (35) son of Md. Iqbal Hossain, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police. Kidnapper Shamim has got two previous wives and children and he is known to every body as notorious criminal in the locality. A case with the Sonadanga police station (case No. 09 dated 10.07.2007) was registered against the kidnapper- Shamim Aktar, (who was absconding) by Sumitra Rani Das and Rabindra Ghosh, the president of HRCBM, investigated into the incident.

Legal guardian of the victim sent us an appeal requesting us to put pressure on the law enforcing agency to recover their children. They also reported to us that Md. Iqbal Hossain, a .sub-inspector of Police now, posted at Dinajpur police camp, have been putting pressure on victim’s legal guardian to withdraw the case immediately, or to face dire consequences. The threat left the guardians scary. .“We have gone to the spot and Sonadanga Police station at Khulna on 3rd August,2007 at about 12 p.m. and met Abdul Mabud, the officer-in-charge of Sonadanga police station. He informed us that the perpetrator has already married this victim girl although he has two previous wives.

Bangladeshi Juvenile Girl Kidnapped and Got Pregnant by Muslim Cleric:

A poor girl became pregnant by an Imam of a local mosque in Faridpur. The girl is now on her seven months pregnancy with high physical and mental risk of immature pregnancy. Omar Faruk is an Imam and teacher of a “Maktab” (Islamic School) of remote village Padmar Char in Faridpur district of Bangladesh. Imam Omar Faruk misguided the minor girl and rapped her for long time. The poor minor girl could not speak out in fear and shame. As the girl stepped into her deep pregnancy the news spread out in the village. Some local influential people called arbitration on July 18th. The arbitration council decides that the Imam Omar Faruk would marry the pregnant girl, said locals (William Gomes Current Affair Jul 20, 2009, http://www.persecutionbd.org/news/bangladeshi-juvenile-girl-get-pregnant-by-musl cleric/)

Some other incidents:

Ms.Shila Rani, wife of Nitur Panua, a Hindu women (20) at Choura Patakata village, under the police station Amtali, in the district of Barguna was raped on 15th April,2007 by Md.Habibur Rahman (40) son of late Chudu Howlader of Chowra, in the same district. An F.I.R. lodged by the victim on April 16, 2007, at the Amtali police station.

Investigative Report of HRCBM, Dhaka, said that on the gang rape of a destitute Hindu girl Ramala Sarkar alias Mouri (17), residing at South Taktabunia village, under Amtali police station, in the district Barguna fell a victim of gang rape. The incident took place on April 13, 2007. (Investigation conducted on April 27, 2007, by HRCBM representative Ms. Minati Datta at Patuakhali).

Part of this article taken from here.

Bangladesh and the destruction of Hinduism and Buddhism

2009-11-28T04:49:00.000-08:00

Image of Vishnu — Vishnu is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God. He is exalted as the highest God in Hindu sacred texts like the Taittiriya Samhita and the Bhagavad Gita.

Islamization Blamed on UK for Partition of British India

By Lee Jay Walker
Tokyo Correspondent – THE SEOUL TIMES

The nation of Bangladesh is witnessing Islamization, just like Afghanistan in the distant past and currently now in Pakistan. It is clear that the Indian sub-continent flourished under both Hinduism and then Buddhism which came afterwards. Both faiths nurtured the very fabric of society but invading Islamic armies and the partition of India was one disaster after another. Therefore, just like Afghanistan, it would appear that one day you will have either complete Islamization or a very small minority which is on the margins of society.

Many stories are never told because of several factors. This applies to not being deemed important because of political factors and of course because of the abject failure of the mass media. Nearly everyone knows about the Palestinian problem or Tibet, but of course we have a deadly silence about the ongoing Islamization in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

However, the current crisis in Bangladesh should be headline news because minorities need to be supported and senior politicians in India must do more to raise this ongoing crisis. Also, the United Kingdom is responsible because the partition of India took place after the British colonial period and the Commonwealth should think about suspending both Bangladesh and Pakistan, on the grounds of failing to protect their respective minorities.

Before the partition of India took place you had sizeable minorities in what was to become Pakistan and Bangladesh. For example in modern day Pakistan the Sikh community is very small but prior to partition this community thrived in parts of what was to become Pakistan. Yet during partition many Sikhs were butchered and killed by Muslims, therefore, they had to flee from the outset.

Of course all religious groups suffered during partition and many innocents on all sides were murdered. Therefore, innocent Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities, fled in various directions because the situation was chaotic. However, if we look at events many decades later we see one clear reality and this reality is Islamization.

After all, the Hindu and Sikh communities of modern day Pakistan are very small and they face many hardships and it is clear that Islamization is in full swing. Also, in Bangladesh the Buddhist and Hindu minorities are dwindling rapidly and both communities have suffered greatly and the Christian community also faces many problems because of radical Sunni Islam. Yet in modern day India the Muslim population is still strong and vibrant.

Of course you have other minorities who also suffer enormous persecution, for example Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Also, in India some radical Hindus have attacked Christian minorities. Despite this, the nation of India is democratic and people from all faith groups can reach positions of power.

Also, the government of India believes in pluralism and Ahmadiyya Muslims have more rights in India than they do in Pakistan because radical Sunni Islamic zealots persecute the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in this nation. The same also applies to Shia Muslims in Pakistan, because often Shia Muslims are killed by Sunni Islamic extremists but in India they have much more freedom.

Therefore, Muslim minorities have greater freedom in India and other religious minorities like Jains and Zoroastrians can pray and worship freely in modern day India. It also must be remembered that Zoroastrians fled to India in order to escape religious genocide because Islamic fanatics destroyed Zoroastrianism in ancient Persia (modern day Iran) and other places in Asia where this faith had thrived before the rise of Islam.

If we look at the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan then it is clear that millions of Hindus have fled both nations because of systematic persecution. The consequences of partition are clear and the same applies to the nature of both dominant faiths. After all, the Islamic population remains vibrant in India because of the nature of Hinduism; however, the Hindu population is in freefall in both Bangladesh and Pakistan because of the nature of Islam and its theory of superiority, dhimmitude, and inequality in law which is sanctioned by Islamic Sharia law.

Clearly the growth of Hindu militancy is the legacy of countless Islamic invasions and many massacres throughout history; and the legacy of British imperialism which enabled partition to take place. Also, the ongoing de-Hinduization of Bangladesh and Pakistan is ongoing, therefore, Hindu militants are rightly worried that Bangladesh and Pakistan is following the Afghanistan scenario, whereby all non-Muslims turn into dust and even ancient monuments face destruction at the hands of radical Sunni Islamists.

Therefore, several years ago the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) held a major exhibition in America in order to highlight the continuing persecution of all minorities in Bangladesh.

Amalendu Chatterjee, HRCBM director, pointed out that the Hindu population was over 30 per cent in the 1940s in what was to become Bangladesh, however, today it is a mere 11 per cent. Given this, Amalendu Chatterjee comments that “It is time that the world should know what is happening with the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.” He also stated that the reasons for the decline of the Hindu population is “…..because of the atrocities perpetrated on the Hindus by the ruling class all these years.”

Utsav Chakrabarti, a member of the Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT) stated that “All the representatives and their staffers reiterated the need to protect the rights of minorities and to deal with Islamic groups in a resolute manner.”

American political leaders gave their support and Ed Royce, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, wrote “The international community must take an action against these genocidal acts now before this culture is extinguished and the minorities forcibly killed, converted or exiled in the face of an underground jihad.”

Ed Royce also focused on the extreme ” … persecution faced by Hindus, Buddhists and Christians due to the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh.” This threat, just like the systematic persecution and killings of Christians in Somalia is ongoing and it is based on the Koran, the Hadiths and the teachings of Mohammed.

Frank Pallone Jr. who is a Democrat member in the House of Representatives stated that “I was proud to be the Congressional sponsor of this important exhibition on human rights in Bangladesh. I believe it helped bring much-needed attention to the plight of minorities in Bangladesh who have suffered from increasing attacks over the past few years.”

Rape was also highlighted because some Islamists use rape in order to convert Hindus to Islam forcibly. It is also important to add that Islamists use this same method in Egypt because countless numbers of Coptic Christian women have been raped by Muslims and then forcibly converted to Islam.

Therefore, Rosalind Costa who is a social worker highlighted the case of two girls who were raped and then forcibly converted to Islam after being gang-raped by Muslim jihadists. This applies to Rita Rani Das and Purnima Shil who were both gang-raped by Islamists.

The current reality is simple, in Pakistan the Hindu population is in complete freefall because only around 1% of the population is Hindu and now Islamization is taking place in Bangladesh. At the same time the Muslim population in India remains strong and vibrant. Therefore, it is clear that state sanctioned policies, Islamic radicalism and persecution is to blame and once more we are witnessing the reality of Islam in action.

Today all minorities face persecution and alienation in Bangladesh and Pakistan because of the role of radical Islam and natural Islamization based on discrimination and persecution. After all, inequality and discrimination is part and parcel of Islamic Sharia law and the Hadiths.

Therefore, will the international community stand up and debate this issue seriously or will the international community remain shackled by fear and indifference?

What is clear is that Buddhism and Hinduism is in mortal danger in Bangladesh and Christian minorities and Ahmadiyya Muslims also suffer.

When the partition of India happened it was clear that the Hindu minority was sizeable in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, within a short period of time we are seeing the demise of Hinduism in Pakistan and now the same is happening to both Buddhists and Hindus in Bangladesh.

LEE JAY WALKER

The Seoul Times

Bangladesh Hindus Want Rights And Justice Not Puja Dole

2009-09-16T03:51:00.000-07:00

By Rabindranath Trivedi

Eminent Indian writer and journalist M J Akbar speaking as keynote speaker at a seminar titled 'Meaning of Minority Politics' organised by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in the city in December 2007, said he was saddened that Bangladesh's birth principle of 'language-centred nationhood' "was incapable of finding a polity." and said stay true to the country's founding principles.

"Out of all the countries in the Muslim world, Bangladesh had the greatest opportunity to build a modern Muslim country," he said, adding that the question of Biharis and the gradual assimilation of Jamaat-e Islami into national politics have to be addressed.

Otherwise the results will be felt long into the future, he added. Akbar disagreed with the dominant view that a minority is a group of people who are demographically outnumbered in a particular area, stressing that the category is based on perceptions. Outlining the history of Bengali Muslims to illustrate his point, he said they were affected the most as a 'minority' in the last century that have transformed their history, and in effect their lives.

Akbar said the partition of Bengal in 1905, the Indo-Pak partition in 1947 and Bangladesh's independence in 1971 were the three key events that affected Bengali Muslims as minorities. "In 1947, the Bengali Hindu Bhadrolok didn't accept Bengali Muslims because they said they were not Bengali enough, then in 1971, West Pakistanis thought Bengali Muslims were not Muslim enough," he added. ( D S 17 December 2007)

I raised my voice of descent and argued with Mr Akbar . I told him, the word minority has different connotation, particularly in Bangladesh and India. Muslim Minority in India is underprivileged but equal citizens of India. There is no constitutional bar against Muslim rights, property and state religion.

Our submission is that the word minority has its own connotation and definition. By 'minority' today we mean a disadvantaged group of citizens, who are not the privileged ones, at the top, but the under-privileged at the bottom. (Atlantes Magazine, 29th January 1975). It was thought that the Liberation of Bangladesh marked the end of a chapter of communal politics, opening up newer possibilities for the Hindus and other ethnic minorities and they would be able to play a more effective role in the political process. Minorities had also thought that Bangladesh would put an end to discrimination against them, and their loyalty to the country would no longer be questioned. But in the present-day Bangladeshi the Hindu's loyalty to the state is very much questioned. So the question arises: whither Bangladeshi Hindus?

We appeal to all of your kind attention to the very word "minority".

We mean rights granted to minorities as safeguards of their interests and help prevent discrimination against them by the majority. The U.N. Charter also recognizes the status of 'minority' and 'minority rights'. Bangladesh is one of the signatories to that charter. "The minority that desires assimilation but is barred is a 'minority by force'. The minority that refuses assimilation is a ' ‘minority by will'. The Negro-American exemplifies the former, while and the French-Canadian represents the latter. Bangladeshi minority has its own definition, they are the sons of the soil, they belong to the civilization of the soil, they are made minority by politics, policies and persecutions. It needs greater observation on the problems squarely, analyzing them in-depth. The present-day Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan until its independence in 1971.

India was partitioned on the basis of the "two-nation" theory, and Pakistan came into existence as a Muslim state in 1947. But this Muslim state was left with a large non-Muslim minority, particularly in East Bengal. The name of East Bengal was changed into East Pakistan with the introduction of the 1956 constitution in Pakistan. The Hindus constituted the bulk of the non-Muslim minority; 13 out of 14 people in the minority were Hindus. But the present-day Bangladeshi Hindus are the remnants of the partition and migration.

Keith Callard in his 'Pakistan: A Political Study' predicted that the 'Hindu community was likely to diminish in size, in wealth, and in talent' (p-265). It is true in the present context of Hindus. But the present-day Bangladeshi Hindus are classless and caste-less, the remnants of the partition and migration had participated in the creation of Bangladesh and sacrificed a lot for the cause of Bangladesh. They are not Babu Communist to quit Bangladesh only by threat, they will die –but not surrender to humiliation. They are sons of the soil, but equal rights of citizens in Bangladesh are not granted to them.

History tells us, we learn from history that we don't learn from history.
In India the Sachar Committee Report on Minority in India submitted to the government on Nov.17,2006 the report gives a new dimension In Bangladesh we are also facing the acute type of crisis .

In Bangladesh, there was no such Committee for minorities in Bangladesh to identify the issues facing 2 crore minorities in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, being a minority means being a victim of oppression, torture and discrimination.

The educated Hindus, who could play a leadership role in the community, left the country. The poor, who lacked leadership qualities, stayed back. Eminent personalities of the minorities who stayed on in Bangladesh live in the cities, so there are none to look after them in times of distress. If any body raised the issues of Hindus in Bangladesh, he would be termed as ‘Communal’ or anti-Muslim. He should be condemned. Thomas Edward Brown (1830-!897) noted: “No man can justly censure or condemn another, because indeed no man truly knows another.”

The Sachar Committee Report on Minority in India submitted to the government on Nov.17,2006. The report gives a new dimension and In Bangladesh we are also facing the acute type of crisis .

M J Akbar writes: “ Will reserving seats for Muslims as category help? The instant answer is yes, if this is the way the political game is being played, then why should Muslims and Christians be excluded from the game? Almost everyone else has been allotted a piece of the cake, so why not them? Are they paying the price for being "foreign faiths," that is, religions that originated outside the Indian subcontinent? If that is the truth, then the establishment should change the truth before the people change the establishment. If that is not the truth, then someone should let us know what the truth is. (DS, 20Dec.06)

But in Bangladesh we are even lacking arguments In another piece published in the daily Star on 13 Sept 09,What has M J Akbar observed that "Indian Muslims need jobs and justice, not iftar parties." In case of Indian Muslims he genuinely asked for jobs for Muslims 'and added: Perhaps the most cynical patron of iftar parties was the late P.V. Narasimha Rao, who insisted on hosting them even after presiding over the destruction of the Babri mosque.

Maybe he was not the most cynical: worse surely were the Muslim acolytes who fawned around him, desperately trying to catch his eye to seek some reward for their presence. Rao was good at throwing handouts towards anyone who had the look of a beggar.Indian Muslims need jobs and justice, not iftar parties he added . ( DS 13 Sept 09)

Sheikh Hasina in her first term in PMO in 1997 allowed Sharadiya reception at Bangabhaban Since then the Bangladesh Government also has been organising Sharadiya Reception for Hindus. Here in Bangladesh like M J Akbar, Hindus also demand jobs and justice not dole for puja The fate of minority remains under the same wheels over sixty years.

The Hindu leadership under the umbrella of Durga Puja is a farce and a great mockery. The Durga Puja has lost its religious fervor and festivity in Bangladesh. It becomes a political bargaining factor for a class of beneficiaries. The celebration of Puja festival committees under the so-called Hindu leaders in Bangladesh is tutored and cared for by the elected Governments and army regimes.

The Puja committees in the capital and other parts of the country depend on doles and protection of law enforcing agencies. They usually organize Puja mondaps and display communal harmony in the name of Puja once a year like other festivals but in reality, besides begging, there is no security and political and economic power to earn for them.

We don't find any difference of behavior, particularly on minority issues, in administration and the nature of humiliation whether democratic regime or autocratic regime or Caretaker Government run by Emergency backed by Army rules in Bangladesh. The appeal by the Hindu leaders, contained in an advertisement published in Sangbad in January 1979,has not yet been conceded, the same demand has been orcherested over three decades.

The excerpt is given below: “It is a matter of great regret that secularism has not been implemented in political and social life. No help has been given in the reconstruction and renovation of hundreds of temples, Vihara and churches including the historic Kalibari temple of Ramna and the East Bengal Swarasta Samaj which were razed by the Pakistani occupation army. The Ramna kalibari has not been returned despite claims. The Enemy Property Act of Pakistan has been illegally retained in independent Bangladesh under a different name and this has been invoked to make hundreds of thousands of non-Muslims homeless and landless. Severe discrimination has been practiced against non-Muslims in the matter of admission in educational institutions ,trade and government services.”

What is the truth? The Daily Star in its an editorial opined :" Member of the minority community have reasons to be concerned over some recent incidents in which quite a few of their families came under attack. In the latest attempt at grabbing land, some hoodlums attacked three Hindu families in Puthia under Rajshahi district and at least 12 people had to be hospitalised with injuries. It happened only a few weeks after land grabbers, allegedly masquerading as developers, tried to evict a Hindu family from their home in Dhaka city. Such a gross violation of rights of any segment of the society will have to be dealt with an iron hand, because that is where the real test of a democratic and pluralistic society lies. ( The DS ,editorial, 3 Sept 09) .

In September 2009, the government enacted the Vested Property Return Act in 2001 amending the Vested Property Act. But, the four-party BNP-Jamaat alliance government stopped the implementation of the act by issuing an order. The caretaker government later promulgated an ordinance in this regard in 2008.

About 1.2 million households and 6 million people belonging to the Hindu community have been directly and severely affected by the Enemy/Vested Property Act. The community has lost 2.6 million acres of its own land in addition to other moveable and immovable property.

The Hindu who was a member of a joint family left this country for India without taking the share of the property was not an owner of his share. His part would remain with the family and rest of the successors would be the owner of the whole property. But the government illegally declared a part or full portion of the property as enemy property and evicts the owners from their lands. Father is the owner of the property of joint family. Sons are not the owner of the property so long as the father is alive. In this situation, if any son leaves the country for India, he is not leaving any property as enemy property because this Hindu law is still prevalent in the country.

The inheritance of property in a Hindu joint family all over Bengal is being determined by the system of Dayabhaga, not Mitakshara which is primarily practised in India. The former suggests the fact that a son inherits the property after the death of his father while according to the latter system of the Hindu inheritance rule; a son can inherit the property of his father on the very moment of his birth.

If any Hindu citizen with his legal passport was traveling India, he was also declared enemy and his property was taken over by the Government. To the contrary, thousands of Muslims were living and working in England, America and Middle East Countries etc. But their properties were not taken over by the Government. Since then the issue has been rolling with ordinances, amendments, circulars, memos, committee and so on. But no tangible action has yet been taken by the Government to solve the contentious issue of minority Hindus. We are Minorities in Bangladesh also want equal Constitutional rights , opportunities in public offices and justice M.J. Akbar writes in January 2008: The only country where Muslims were exposed to reason and logic was India,

It's an evidential fact that Hindus in Bangladesh unfortunately have been facing the music of great declination in respect of politico-economic and social status today, to the extent to which caste is declining as a social factor; it is reverting itself as a political factor.

Unfortunately for Hindus in Bangladesh they have been facing the music of great declination in respect of politico-economic and social status today. If religion is to be true to itself it must stress the worth and dignity of human personality. They should rise to the occasion and call a spade a spade. In sociological terms, Man is the total circle including both the centre and circumference. He is both self and not-self. Lord Krishna says, "Samoham sarva bhutesu, na me dvesygsti na priyah I am the same for all beings: There is none whom I hate none whom I favour"(The Holy Gita-ix/29). Brave one proudly proclaim, "I am a Hindu, a member of the great civilisation."

The sacrifices of the Hindu leadership were never acknowledged either officially or publicly. Does the nation pay respect to those departed souls? Is there any room for the Hindu leaders in the history who fought for the cause of history and the War of Liberation?
In the post-August 1975, Bangladesh, Bengali, Hindu and India are equated with a typical psyche by the ruling cliché. "The existing literature on the history of Bangladesh underplays not only the inner contradictions of the Muslims of Bengal, but also other significant features of her past. It's a 'crisis of confidence'.

Rabindranath Trivedi is a former Press-Secretary to the President and Addl Press Secretary to the Prime Minister. Presently Secretary General, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities ( HRCBM) an NGO in special Consultative Status with ECOSOC of the United Nations.

Source: Asian Tribune

Local AL leader accused of backing Sutrapur land-grab bid

2009-09-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sat, Sep 12th, 2009 12:49 pm BdST

Dhaka , Sept 11 (bdnews24.com)—A local Awami League leader faces allegations of abetting a gang in their bid to illegally occupy property spread over 32 kathas of land from 11 families in Sutrapur, old Dhaka.

Locals allege Nizam Uddin, president of Awami League's local chapter, sheltered the armed criminals who damaged an idol at a Shiva Temple and fired weapons into the air to spread fear and grab the land on Friday morning.

Police in Sutrapur, a predominantly Hindu area, say the current residents were living there illegally but the families say the police claim is "mysterious", and four families who used to live in the area were allegedly forced to leave at gunpoint earlier this year.

According to witnesses, on Friday morning, some eight to ten armed men went to the Bhushipur area of RM Das Road, behind Sutrapur Police Station, to move in on the property comprising plots 88, 96 and 98, ordering the families to leave.

At one stage, local residents gathered and gave chase to the gang, who then fired their weapons into the air and took shelter to Sutrapur Police Station. The locals crowded in front of the police station and asked the police to arrest the gunmen.

People of the area allege four Hindu families living on the land were evicted in March with the help of police and backed by Nizam Uddin, who heads AL's Dhaka city Ward 80 chapter. The gang now threatening the remaining 11 families to leave the place were Nizam's men, they claim.

Monsur Miah, a local resident, told bdnews24.com since land owner Jagadish Taraknath had migrated to India in 1947 after the partition, his relatives have been living there.

"A total of 15 families had been living on the 32 kathas," Miah said.

Md Tareq, another local resident, said the criminals were attempting to grab the property abetted by AL leader Nizam Uddin and police.

Chanchal Roy, general secretary of Shiva Temple, said: "I know those who broke the idol." But he did not disclose any names.

Asad Mahmud, who claims the land, says he is the owner of the land on a 'conditional agreement'. He said he bought the land a year ago from a man named Amir Ali Jamal but did not take possession yet.

He also said they later enclosed the land by erecting a boundary wall following a court verdict in favour of their legal ownership.

Regarding Friday's incidents, he told bdnews24.com, "There is no question of grabbing the land. We can take possession of our land at any time.

"The Hindu families have erected idols on our land. We went there to protest their move and request them to leave our land."

Nizam, the accused AL president of Ward 80, after hours of negotiations at Sutrapur Police Station spoke to bdnews24.com at around Friday midnight. He said, according to the negotiations, the two parties would keep to their respective places till Durga Puja at the end of September.

"The next decision will be made in another meeting after the puja," he said.

Regarding the land-grab allegations, Nizam said he was not linked to the incident at all.

"The officer-in-charge called me the police station to attend the meeting as this is a ward issue. That's why I attended the meeting," he said.

Asked about the incidents, Sutrapur police chief Tofazzal Hossain said those who took shelter at his police station were not criminals.

He said Asad Mahmud is the legal landowner, not the Hindu families.

"Asad Mahmud's people would have been killed by the mob if they did not take shelter at the police station." Hossain said the armed men were in possession of legal arms.

bdnews24.com/gma/zr/su/rah/1255h

Humanity Assassinated: Ethnic Cleansing of Minorities in Bangladesh

2009-08-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Sujit Das

“The dead, it is said, do not live to tell the tale, but this is not true in ethnic cleansing. The dead do tell the tale; it is the living who are reluctant to speak”. — Horowitz, 2001, p. 224

We now know the Holocaust of the Jews, after Hitler and his Nazi Party found out “The Final Solution of the Jewish Question”, which is written in History with human blood. Today change the names of the murderers (and their religious belief) and the name of the country, and we will see that history is repeating itself in Bangladesh. It was Genocide of the Jews in Germany and now it is Genocide of the minorities in Bangladesh. And yes; as Horowitz said, listen carefully to every dead human. Each one of them has a pathetic story to tell you; pay attention and you will hear an unmistakable whisper in their silence, the stories of their suffering and injustice caused to them because of their minority status in a Muslim majority country. Those who are still fortunate enough to live for few more days are in mental wreck so much so that they are all living dead. Today not only the victims but the Humanity itself is crying bitterly for your attention.

Muslim fundamentalists sprayed bullets on Prof. Muhari, a renowned Bangladeshi Hindu educationalist. (Source: Mukto-Mona)

hindu housewives raped in Bangladesh

Tribal Hindu housewives, gang raped by Islamic fanatics. The insult made them speechless. (Source: Mukto-Mona)

Government of Bangladesh has published many Census documents. In 1941; 28.3 percent of the total population was minorities. Out of this, of Hindu was 11.88 million, while 588 thousand was other religious and ethnic minorities, like Buddhist, Christian and animist. As per 1991 Census; the Muslim majority increased 219.5 percent while the Hindu community increased by 4.5 percent. If usual increase rate prevailed, the number of the Hindu community would have been 32.5 million in 1991, but the actual figure is 12.5 million. It means twenty million Hindu souls are missing. (Samad, 1998). Is the Bangladeshi Government ready to give a satisfactory explanation, how those twenty million souls had vanished in fifty years? Did they vanish into thin air like a Houdini magic?

No. They vanished in the same way; the Jews population had decreased under Hitler’s regime in Germany. Many of these twenty million Hindus were put to permanent sleep in mass graves in various unknown places or mass cremated anonymously and unceremoniously or their dead bodies thrown into the rivers; many of them were forcefully converted to Islam. Many of their women were brutally raped and reduced to prostitution. And yet, many of them were victims of forced exodus to neighboring nation, India, after the Muslim hooligans reduced them to penniless and honored them with a ‘Refugee’ status.

Sadly, most of these atrocities have the approval of Government of Bangladesh. The so-called Muslim intellectuals and ‘secular’ politicians deliberately promoted the view and made the common Bangladeshi Muslims believe that the ethnic minorities are migrants and not “Bhumiputra” (son of the soil). The Home Ministry had instructed the commercial banks to control withdrawal of substantial cash money against account holders of Hindu community and to stop disbursement of business loans to Hindu community in the districts adjoining the India-Bangladesh border (Samad, 1998). It’s an unwritten law in Bangladesh, that the religious minorities cannot be given sensitive positions, like head of state, chief of armed forces, governor of Bangladesh Bank, Ambassador in a Bangladesh Mission, secretary in the ministry of Defence, Home, Foreign Affairs and Finance. Minorities are deliberately discriminated in recruitment in civil and military jobs, business and trade, bank loans and credit (Shaha, 1998, p. 5). The mainstream political parties also cannot accept that their leader could be from among the minority community. It is rare to find a religious minority at the helms of affairs in Bangladesh. Can the Government of Bangladesh deny the fact that the Minorities are “Legally identified enemies” in their homeland where they are living for many generations?

It’s a Shame. Instead of protecting the minorities, the Government of Bangladesh had always tried to hide the entire lot of torture, rape and murder incidents behind a fabric of lies.

Muslims are circumcised, but Hindus are not. This is how Pakistani armies identified ‘True Muslims’ during the war of 1971. The same trend have been followed in Bangladesh for singling out the ‘legally identified enemies’.

Bangladeshi Government officially encourages forced conversion to Islam by giving incentive. As per B.D. government religious ministry circular number 2/a-7/91-92 dated 28 November 1991, the new Muslims are paid cash doles through budgetary allocations in the name of so-called rehabilitation (Press Release, nd).

For writing this article, the present author had interviewed many Bangladeshi refugees, liberal Muslims, gone through their websites and newspapers and read many books and articles written by them. This article will expose many facts, which the western World is still unaware of.

In the beginning lets see how much freedom Bangladeshi government has given to the minorities. The Constitution of 1972 pronounced secularism as a fundamental principal of state policy. Article 41 guarantees freedom of religion in Bangladesh and Article 12 has provided an interpretation of the principle of secularism that made Bangladesh a multi religious society and maintained separation between state and religion. But this Article was discarded in 1977 and subsequent constitutional changes under military rulers compromised the principle of secularism and gave rise to religion based politics. Under General Ziaur Rahman, the 5th amendment of the constitution was effected. Under this amendment, the principle of “secularism” was replaced by “faith in Almighty Allah” [Article 8 (1)], and amended Article 8 .1(a) states, “absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah should be the basis of all actions”. Gen. H. M. Ershed through the 8th Amendment declared Islam as the state religion. The constitution, in fact, makes its beginning with the words Bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim.

Though the Article 27, 28, 29 confirms equal opportunities for all citizens, Article 44 equivocally guarantees the enforcement of fundamental rights and Sections 295, 296, 297 and 298 of the Penal Code give protection from offences against religious places or practices; the reality is far too different. Minorities are never adequately represented. In the seventh Parliament there were only 11 male and three female members belonging to minority communities. Taken together minority groups occupied only 4.24 percent seats in Parliament though they form 12 percent of the total population. Democracy is a rich man’s game in Bangladesh. Business is the primary or secondary occupation of about 75 percent of the elected representatives (Barman et al, nd).

The political parties despite electoral promises written in election manifestos, failed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the minorities. Not a single political party has ever come forward for a cause of the minorities (Shaha, 1998, p.5). Ain O Shalish Kendra (1999, p.192) reported,

“The constitutional amendments have introduced an overt bias towards Muslims in public policy and practice and encouraged discrimination against other religious communities… with the increasing politicization of Islam by the state and political organizations, religious minorities fear that an escalation of religious discrimination may stigmatize them as second class citizens and lead to religious intolerance”.

Bangladesh is on her way to become a ‘Talibanistan’ and the state religion Islam is ruthlessly overcoming all obstacles in its path by killing and displacing the minorities. And nobody is spared – let it be Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and Animists. It includes the eradication of the cultural memory of the group (destroying its Temples, churches, libraries, museums, street names etc.). Islamic extremists have already formed a shadow government in Bangladesh. Roads of Bangladesh are shacked with the slogan “We are Taliban and Bangla Will be Afghan”. It’s long since democracy had died in Bangladesh and the Islamic theocracy had triumphed. In the near future Bangladesh will become the highest threat before world peace and security.

Ethnic cleansing of the Minorities in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) started in 1946 with the infamous Noakhali carnage (10th October 1946). In the full moon night of Kojagari Lakshi Puja (a Hindu festival), 218 Hindus were slaughtered, over 10,000 Hindu houses were looted, more than 2000 Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam and several thousand Hindu women were raped and hundreds of Hindu temples were destroyed. The sad part is that Mr. Burrows, the then Governor of the state said that it was only natural that Hindu women would be raped by hundreds of Muslims because they are prettier than Muslim women (Roy, 2007, pp. 120, 165).

During the infamous genocide of 1971, which continued for nine months, by the then Muslim East Pakistan Army; three million Bangladeshis were slaughtered, ten million Hindus fled as refugees into India (Kennedy, 1971, pp. 6-7) and two hundred thousand women were raped (Roy, 2007, p. 298). The neighboring Muslims of the Hindu families use to mark a yellow “H” on the Hindu houses to guide the marauding army to their targets like Jewish holocaust (Schanberg, 1994). The bulk of the victims of the holocaust were Hindus about 80% followed by 15% Muslims and 5% Christians (Roy, 2007, p. 312).

Minority oppression has increased tremendously after the last National Election in Bangladesh held in October 2001. Often the Hindus, Christians and Buddhists are beaten up without reason because they are ‘Kafirs’. Political involvement is strongly opposed. Many Hindus being prevented from voting in elections, either through intimidating actual voters, or through exclusion in voter list revisions (Source: The Daily Star. January 4, 2006). Often the Hindus are warned that if they want to vote their women would be brutalized and they would be made to leave Bangladesh. A third method is physically preventing the Hindus from voting. The roadblocks are erected by Muslim League volunteers, mainly in rural areas to prevent Hindus from traveling to nearest town to vote (Roy, 2007, pp. 359, 152). The government does nothing to ensure a free and fair election.

Kidnapping, Rape of married women and children, Forced marriage of minor girls, money extortion as Jizya Tax, Forced conversion and Mass murder are day-to-day happenings. Hindu widows are often forced to kill one of her cow by her own hand, cook the beef and eat it (Roy, 2007. pp. 120, 125).

Many families were forced to migrate out of their “Homeland of generations” for physical safety. The sad part is that no end is in sight. It is because this ‘Hindu Holocaust’ is fully intentional and approved by Government, aiming to wipe out an entire group. The situation is so alarming that while describing the plight of the minorities of Bangladesh, a newspaper published an article with the heading (Source: The Economist. Nov. 29, 2003), “Bangladesh’s religious minorities: Safe only in the departure lounge“. (cited Dutta, 2005). Few prominent incidents from various sources are as follows,

Hindu women (from age 5 to 70) are often subjected to gang rape. About 200 Hindu women were gang raped by Muslims in Char Fashion, Bhola, in one night at a single spot (Source: The Daily Star, Nov.16, 2001)

The Islamic terrorists have levied Jizya taxes on the minority Christians and have told the Christians to give them their wives, sisters and daughters for sex if they failed to pay the tax. (Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Dec. 13, 2001).

Mass murder of minority Tribal Christians (Source: Mayer Dak).

The Muslims have even gang-raped mother and daughter together on the same bed with the parents and children forced to watch; and they have raped mothers in front of their children (Source: The Daily Janakantha, Feb. 5, 2002; April 22, 2002).

On February 8, 1989, about 400 Muslims from the neighboring villages waged an attack on the Hindu community of the village of Sobahan, in Daudkandi, Comilla. The Muslims reminded them that, “the government has declared Islam to be the state religion, and therefore you have to either convert to Islam or leave the country.” They set ablaze every Hindu household after looting, razed the temples, and then gang-raped women. (Source: ‘Baishammer Shikar Bangladesher Hindu Sampradaya (in Bangla)’ ‘The Hindus of Bangladesh: Victim of Discrimination’, Matiur Rahman & Azizul Huq eds. 1990). (cited Dutta, 2005).

Often the commanding officer of police stations personally conducts violence against minorities. As example, Tofazzal Hossain, Officer In-Charge, “led a procession at the dead of night that ransacked two Ashrams (place of religious retreat for Hindus), a temple of Goddess Kali, and three houses at Gopalpur when seven to eight people were injured in mass beating.” (Source: The Daily Star, June 3, 2003).

On August 28, 2004 the para-militia forces, together with the local extremists, burned down 400 dwelling houses in Mahalchari, Chittagong Hill Tracts, after looting the villages, gang raping their women and destroying Buddhist temples. These indigenous Buddhist people represented 97% of the population in 1947, by 2001 they accounted for less than 50% (Source: US Department of State’s Country Report on Human Rights Practices, 2004).

The police rarely allow rape victims to press charges against their rapists. Typically, if a rape victim goes to the police and insist on action, they are given the “run around” for a few days so the rape evidence disappears. The police officers themselves will then persecute the victims. This, of course, is followed by death threats or kidnapping (Source: The Daily Janakantha, Feb. 16, 2002).

Eleven members of same family roasted alive (which includes a child of four day) in village Southern Shadhanpur on 19 November 2003 (Bando, 2004. p. 13)

Several thousand Hindu temples are already destroyed systematically (352 in 1992 alone). Delwar Hossain Sayedee, the Jamaat leader decreed that all statues except those of Muslim worshipers should be destroyed (Baldwin, 2002). The Sanskrit and Hindu religious University (Saraswata Samaj) in Dhaka was in operation before independence of Bangladesh in 1971, has been closed after the independence. It’s land and assets was confiscated by the government of Bangladesh in a bid to wipe out Hindu educational system; whereas, millions of dollars are spent for the development of Madrassas (Roy, 2008).

Muslims are killing a Hindu in a Mosque. Vimal Patak, a Bangladeshi born Hindu was captured outside the mosque while going home. After Friday prayers were over, the Muslims came out and grabbed the first Hindu they could. Vimal was beaten to death with sticks as the Muslim Mullahs (priests) chanted “kill the Kafir!” (Non-Muslim). With folded hands he begged for his life and died a brutal death. (Source: Faith freedom International)

Kamala Debi lost all her family members due to barbarous attack of communalist hooligans on Oct 10, 2001. No one is alive to look after her in her old age. Once she belonged to a very wealthy business family, but now reduced to begging. (Source: Mukto-Mona)

Following tabular format is prepared to summarize and to categorize the atrocities and their consequences.

Sr. No	Category of Violence	Types of Violence	Immediate affects	Long term affects
1	Political and social discrimination	Denial to Job, Prosperity and discouragement in political involvement	Loss of social status, Unemployment, No scope for prosperity.	Social backwardness, Poverty, disenfranchised from holding political power, Political and social insignificance.
2	Legal oppression	Vested Property Act of 1972, Justice and police protection often denied.	Loss of property, forceful capture of agricultural lands.	Poverty, Mass emigration, Forced exodus, refugee displacement
3	Physical repression	Physical Assault, Kidnapping of women and rape.	Fear, Loss of self-respect.	Mass emigration, Forced exodus, refugee displacement.
4	Mental Torture	Islamic Death threat, Rape threat, Arson threat.	Fear, Loss of security, Physiological trauma.	Mass emigration, Forced exodus.
5	Cultural and Religious suppression	Destruction of temples, Forced conversions, Forced marriage	Social and religious genocide	Loss of inherited identity, Loss of Religious Freedom, Frustration
6	Financial oppression	Money extortion as Jizya Tax, Kidnapping children for ransom, Arson.	Fear, Loss of security, Loss of property.	Poverty, Mass emigration, Forced exodus, refugee displacement.
7	Organized Mass Torture	Sadism, Islam approved torture. Rape	Religious slaughter, Brutal suffering,	Loss of population, Mass emigration, Forced exodus. refugee displacement
8	Predetermined Mass Killing	Infamous genocide of 1971, Noakhali massacre in 1946; Islam approved Mass Murders,	Mass death, Number of orphans increases.	Community cannot reconstitute itself as a viable community and get destabilized, Poverty, Mass emigration of the living, refugee displacement
9	Suppression of facts	Honest journalists, educationalists and prominent people are killed, Human rights investigators are detained.	Brutalization unreported. Media silenced, censored and / or purchased by ruling party.	World blissfully ignorant and Ethnic cleansing continues unabated.

The Bangladesh government can seize the land of these ‘legally identified enemies’ at any time lawfully and force them to emigrate. In Bangladesh, it is legal to capture the land of a Hindu and to give it to Muslims. It is Vested Property Act (VPA), which is same as Enemy Property Act (EPA) in Pakistan. In 1965, when Indo-Pakistani War ended in a shameful defeat for Pakistan; in an undisguised act of revenge, Pakistan passed the Enemy Property Act (EPA), which was aimed deliberately at its Hindu population. This act empowered the government to declare their land and possessions as enemy property and to seize it. After independence, the new nation Bangladesh re-wrote the Enemy Property Act (EPA) as the Vested Property Act (VPA) with explicit language stating that only the law’s title had changed, not its content. This had caused much horror to the Hindus and other religious minorities who were now ‘outsiders’ in their own nation. At that time, almost one in five Bangladeshis was a Hindu; today the number is less than one in ten. The Vested Property Act and fear of communal violence are the two main reasons behind the migration of Hindus to India (Ain O Salish Kendra, 1999, p. 192)

How inhuman the Vested Property Act (VPA) is and how insulting would be such a law to the human community?

The present author humbly requests the readers to just imagine for a moment that USA or Canadian law empowered the government to seize the land and property of non-Christians and give it to Christians or Indian Government or Israeli Government is empowered to seize the lands of Muslims and give it to the Hindus or to the Jews. We can imagine how much international hue and cry that justifiably would be heard from every human right NGO and government entity. Every right-minded citizen will protest such a Law.

Fortunately, no such inhuman law exists in civilized world and we do not have to face the protests of those advocacy groups. But distressfully, both Pakistan and Bangladesh have such a barbaric law on the books for several decades. The only difference between their law and the hypothetical one above is that they are Muslim majority countries and the laws address property of non-Muslims.

Their seized lands under VPA have benefited every major political party in Bangladesh. Between 2001 and 2006, 45 percent of the spoils went to the right-center BNP, 31 percent to the left-center Awami League (the figures were reversed when the Awami League was in power), 15 percent to Islamist parties, and the rest to Jatiya and others (Benkin, nd). Till 1998, more than 2 million acres of land have been taken over from Hindu land owners under VPA (Barkat & Jaman, 1998). As per another newspaper report, the Adivashi (aboriginal) community already had lost about 80 % of their land by the local hooligans protected by strong political coverage because of their poverty and ignorance about their rights. They have hardly any knowledge about the legal provisions and documents related to land property. Therefore they easily fall prey to opportunists (Bhoumic & Dhar, 1999). The survival of the Garo tribes of Mymensingh is already threatened, because government had taken their natural forest for rubber plantation. As per another report (Barkat & Shafiquzzaman, 1996, p.7), from 1964 onwards each day on an average basis 538 Hindus have ‘vanished’ because of this act. The same report calculated that the vanishing rate has not been uniform over periods; in 1964-71 it averaged 703 per day, between 1971 and 1981 it was 537, and in 1981-91 the figure stood at 439 (Trivedi, 2007). Another report estimates that more than 500 Hindus crossing over the border every day (Chowdhury, 1998, p. 214). Professor Abul Barkat of Dhaka University undertook the most authoritative study of the VPA and concluded that by 1997, 40 percent of Hindu families in Bangladesh had been affected by it and more than half of all Hindu-owned land already had been confiscated under the act (Benkin, 2008).

Another common method of land grabbing is this. Bangladeshi Muslims are mostly landless agricultural laborers whereas many Hindus are rich farmers owning a large area of agricultural land which is tilled by Muslim peasants. At the time when the Hindus are suffering from extreme insecurity, some Muslims would appear as their protectors in exchange of land, to be sold to them for a pittance. After some time they would disappear and their place will be taken by another bunch of similar protectors who would ask for some more land. This way, eventually the Hindu will loose all his land and leave the country as a refugee. The idea is to take over as much of his land with proper documentation for as little money as possible (Roy, 2007, p. 165).

Though during 2001, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh had directed the government to return the land to the real owner, but not a single Hindu actually got their land back. There are two reasons behind this.

Firstly, the Ruling Party has no intention to abolish such a law. The VPA is still in force and actively being used at the time of writing this article. In 2001, at the conclusion of its term in office, the Awami League passed the Vested Property Return Act. Everyone considers this an empty gesture that the AL knew never would be implemented. They had five years to do something, but did not act. It was a cynical action, and in fact the Awami League received as much spoils from the VPA as did its rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Therefore, no land has been returned. (Benkin, 2009).

Secondly, corruption has touched almost every level of legal system and there is widespread abuse of Court process. Such malpractices contrary to judicial independence are undermining public confidence in the Administration of Justice. The clerks and peons often under bribe misplace records, remove documents and sometimes even destroy records. Even the Judges in Bangladesh as a normal (mal) practice receive bribe or other undue advantages (Talukder, 1994, p. 101). Police is also identified as the most corrupt category. In fact, the Transparency International (Berlin)’s corruption perception Index published in 2001 and 2002, each for the previous years, identified Bangladesh as the most corrupt country in the world. In this scenario, it is not difficult to imagine, not many Hindus will be benefited by the Law in spite of Court decision.

How silly, a Bangladeshi official even justified the VPA as a form of “protection” for the Hindu minority! Again how silly it is when, Kazi Azizul Huq of the Khalefat Andolin Bangladesh said that many of the Hindus have left “voluntarily” even abandoning or selling their lands (Benkin, nd). Did the World forget that countless German Jews “voluntarily” transferred their properties in the 1930s?

What a terrible irony; in 1971, the new Bangladesh was very much obliged to India without which it never could have achieved its independence.

International human rights organizations are yet to acknowledge the full extent of the ethnic cleansing because the facts often go unreported. Often Human Rights Investigators are detained. Media is often censored and / or purchased. Honest journalists are often murdered. Hence the World is blissfully ignorant and the world’s inaction tells the perpetrators that they can continue doing it with impunity. But in spite of this, Amnesty International has procured significant factual data and the State Department-supported United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has gathered limited documentation. Foreign diplomats in Bangladesh have set up a Fact-Finding Commission to investigate such atrocities and repression.

Very recently, Bangladeshi newspapers have started featuring on Minority Oppression. To suppress the facts of minority oppression, the Islamic fundamentalists had killed many Journalists and prominent members of Minority community as well as liberal Muslims and put many others in jail.

Bertil Lintner, a Hong-Kong based senior journalist for the Far Eastern Economic Review and a contributing writer for The Wall Street Journal, with much frustration described how authorities initially declined to give him a visa to go to Bangladesh after his first reports created a furor. He also received threats over email that said he would suffer the same fate as journalist Daniel Pearl [who was killed in Karachi] if he ventured to go to Bangladesh again. Linter lamented, rising Islamic fundamentalism and religious intolerance are posing trouble for the regions and beyond (Guha Mozumder, 2003).

William Sloan, president of the Canadian branch of the American Association of Jurors, visited Bangladesh and described his horror on seeing Hindu victims of torture. One man’s fingers had been cut off, another’s hand was amputated, still more were blinded and others had iron rods nailed through their legs or abdomen. He also recalled the desperate stories of women and children who had been gang-raped, often in front of their fathers or husbands (Baldwin, 2002)

Taslima Nasrin, appalled by what she witnessed, described the horrifying experience of one Hindu family in her novel Shame, published in 1993. She was placed under fatwa by Muslim leaders and, fearing for her life, fled to Europe, where she still lives.

Abdul Ghaffar Chowdhury, a columnist and liberal activist from London lamented “After seeing what is happening to the minorities, I am ashamed to say I am a Muslim,” (Guha Mozumder, 2003)

It is shocking that the Hindus at India who share the same ancestral root, culture and religion are completely apathetic to their co-religionists in Bangladesh. It is an utter disgrace and a real shame to Indians (particularly those old, fossilized and spineless Indian politicians) that they are silently watching and observing the Hindu genocide in the Islamic Bangladesh. If Indians turn their back to their co-religionist brothers and do not take the Hindu genocide seriously, than what can be expected from International community? It’s not time for Indians to maintain a hands-off-policy. How we can ignore the continuous influx of Hindu refugees on Indian soil? The basic cause is that the spineless Indian politicians typically lack the courage to ignore Muslim vote-bank politics in India and publicly address this problem.

The Hindu refugees should be given strong legal protection in India. This will assure them their human rights, education for their children, freedom of movement, and better employment opportunities. Many of them are well educated and have potential for creative contribution to the society. Often they were wealthy people in Bangladesh but now reduced to wandering day labor or rickshaw - pullers; or in worst situation digging through garbage dumps for food with their skins sticking like paper to their skeletons and the bones protruding out. They fit every classic definition of a refugee community. The Muslim nation Bangladesh gave them nothing except pain and suffering but they have something to expect from the civilized nation, India, the second largest democracy in this world. The great nation India, throughout her recorded history, never refused protection to anyone who expected, then why this apathy? If given chances, they will prosper.

Like a cruel joke of Allah, many Muslims had also taken shelter at India in guise of Hindu refugees for better living standard and for promoting Islamic terrorism in India. They need to be positively identified and pushed back to hellish Bangladesh.

Indian Government should also put pressure to repeal the racist Vested Property Act. This Callous policy offends every principle on which human dignity is established. If it is not done, it means ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh is legal. Also, the refugees need to get suitable compensation for their loss of property under this act. Until Indian government takes any action, the western world is not going to anything. The time for empty speeches, lame excuses and official meetings that lead nowhere, is over. We must get Bangladesh not only to act but to act fast. We need to focus on the results rather than efforts. To achieve this, the Indian politicians must put aside their individual egos and recognize that our goal and the welfare of the Bangladeshi Hindus are far more important than any of us as individuals. If we can accomplish something for the people, it is not al all important who gets the credit for it or the praise. But regretfully, too many of Indian politicians still put themselves or their organizations above a noble cause which is of course a betrayal to the cause itself. The Indian politicians must organize an umbrella organization that coordinates action to stop ethnic cleansing and prevent genocide. No person or group needs to give up their independence, but if we are to succeed in helping these people, we will do so if organized and united. Bangladeshi Muslims are certainly united but Indian Hindus are not. It is not just Hindus but also Sikhs, Christians and others in India who, if they believe in equality, should insist in public that India’s neighbors show respect for the human rights of minorities.

Incidentally, the chief Imam of National Mosque of Bangladesh once proclaimed in presence of Cabinet ministers and thousands of people: “The Americans will be washed away if Bangladesh’s 120 million [sic] Muslims spit on them.” (Baldwin, 2002) Though the present author refrains himself from making such a silly comment, but is not it more realistic, if such a remark is passed by one of the one billion strong Indian non-Muslims to the Bangladeshi Muslims?

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the civilized world should demand an end to this massacre. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others often have urged the stationing of international monitors in various parts of the world; but they have been silent on this matter. The United Nations, NATO, and other international organizations likewise can be found in all sorts of international trouble spots and former trouble spots. But they, too, have been silent on this issue.

Through this article, the present author appeals to all right thinking common citizens of every country, the honest and upright Journalists, prominent Political leaders, global opinion makers, human rights groups, and people seated in positions of authority, European Union and the United Nations to pay their kind attention to the sufferings of the minorities of Bangladesh at the earliest. The oppressors should be brought before the International Court of Justice at The Hague for the alleged ethnic cleansing and the killings of thousands of people from the minority communities in Bangladesh. They cannot go unpunished for what they are doing to the minorities. Help the message to go out, to reach every corner of this world. Let the bitter cry of Humanity itself be echoed everywhere and be heard by anyone and everyone in this world who calls himself a Human.

The History of Mankind had recorded many ethnic cleansing. Open the 1400 years of recorded history of Islam and blood dips from every page of it. Whatever is happening in Muslim Bangladesh is not new at all. But sadly, the civilized world has been consistently ineffective when it in combating that in a timely manner. Generally nothing is done until the dead bodies are piled too high to obscure the view of the horizon in every direction or the earth changes its color to red within any visible distance. If left unchecked, the Bangladeshi Muslims will very soon add another glorious chapter to the Islamic history, some more pages soaked with Hindu blood. This time, let us stop the genocide before it occurs.

References

Books, Journals and Newspapers

Ain O Shalish Kendra (1999); Human Rights in Bangladesh 1998 Report, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bando, Ramen (2004): Ethnic Cleansing in Bangladesh. Campaign against atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh. Sahitya Porishad. London.
Barkat A, Zaman S (1998); Vested Property Act: Political and Economic Consequences, A paper presented at a seminar on “Political Economy and Legal Aspects of the Vested Property Act” on 15 March 1998, Grameen Research Trust, Dhaka.
Barkat, Abul & Shafiquzzaman (1996); Bangladesher Grameen Samaje Arpito Sampattite Ainer Probhab: Ekti Anusandhan (In Bengali language). A report submitted to the National Seminar of Association for Land Reform and Development, 13 April 1996.
Bhoumic, Nim Chandra; Dhar, Basu Dev (1999); Adivashi Upojatoder Dabee Nae Shongoto. (In Bengali language). A report published on The Prothom Alo on 24 February 1999.
Chowdhury, Afsan (1998); Disasters: Issues and Responses, in Bangladesh Environment: Facing the 21st Century. Society for Environment and Human Development. Dhaka.
(Dr.) Benkin, Richard L (2009); Private e-mail exchange with the present author.
Dutta, Nabendu (Director, Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council, U.S.A.) (2005); The 11th Session Of The Working Groups On Minorities. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. U. N., Geneva, May 30 - June 3, 2005
Horowitz, Donald (2001): The Deadly Ethnic Riot. University of California Press, Los Angeles.
Kennedy, Edward (1971); Crisis in South Asia, A report by Senator Edward Kennedy to the Subcommittee investigating the Problem of Refugees and Their Settlement, Submitted to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, November 1, 1971, U.S. Govt. Press.
Prof. / Dr.) Shaha, S.S (1998): Manabodhikar O’ Bangladeshíer Sangkhalogudíer Shamasya (Original in Bangla). Published in Dainik Ittefaq on 22 July 1998, Dhaka.
Roy, Tathagata (2007); A Suppressed Chapter in History. The Exodus of Hindus from East Pakistan and Bangladesh 1947-2006. Bookwell Publishers. New Delhi.
Schanberg, Sydney (1994); The Pakistani Slaughter That Nixon Ignored. New York Times, May 3, 1994
Talukder, S. M Hasan (1994); Independence of Judiciary in Bangladesh: Law and Practice, Book Syndicate, Dhaka.
Trivedi, Rabindranath (2007); The legacy of enemy turned vested property act in Bangladesh. Published on Asian Tribune on 29May 2007

Internet

Baldwin, Ruth (2002): The ‘Talibanization’ of Bangladesh. Published in The Nation Magazine on 17 May/ 2002. URL: http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=baldwin20020517 (Last accessed 28 June 2009)
Barman, Dalem Ch; Rahman, Golam; Siddiqui, Tsneem (nd); Democracy report for Bangladesh. URL: www.idea.int/publications/sod/upload/Bangladesh.pdf (Last accessed 27 June 2009).
(Dr.) Benkin, Richard L (2008); Repeal Bangladesh’s Racist Vested Property Act, International Analyst Network, an outline portal for analysis in the areas of Counter-Terrorism, the Middle-East, Geopolitics and Energy Security. Published on 1^st August / 2008. URL: http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=2322 (Last accessed 03 May 2009)
(Dr.) Benkin, Richard L (nd); Part One: The Roots of Ethnic Cleansing in A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing in Bangladesh. URL: http://www.interfaithstrength.com/Roots.htm (Last accessed 03 May 2009)
(Dr.) Benkin, Richard L (nd); Part Two: Islamist Attacks and Government Collusion in A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing in Bangladesh URL: http://www.interfaithstrength.com/Collusion.htm (Last accessed 03 May 2009)
Guha Mozumder, Suman (2003); Bangladesh ruling party accused of ethnic cleaning. URL: http://www.rediff.com/us/2003/feb/19bang.htm (Last accessed 04 July 2009)
Press Release (nd): European Union Blasted for Ignoring Hindu Abuse in Bangladesh. URL: http://www.hvk.org/articles/0703/50.html (Last accessed 27 June 2009)
Roy, Amarendra (2008); Minorities and the Right to Education. A report submitted at The Forum on Minority Issues, 2008 (15 – 18 December 2008). Conference in the United Nations CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland. URL: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/docs/statements/NGOs%20&%20others/Roy_Amarendra-Human_Rights_Congress_for_BangladeshMinorities-itemV.doc (Last accessed 27 June 2009)
Samad, Saleem (1998): State of Minorities in Bangladesh : From Secular to Islamic Hegemony Mukto-mona. URL: http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/saleem/secular_to_islamic.htm (Last accessed 04 July 2009)

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Bangladeshi Hindu Abducted, Forced to Convert to Islam

2009-08-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

For most of us in the West, the notion of forced conversion seems to belong to a bygone age and a long discredited mentality. The sad fact, however, is that like the slave trade and other atrocities we have left in our past, forced conversion is alive and well even today. The Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) has reported a case of abduction and forced conversion in Bangladesh; and two human rights organizations, Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD)and Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) have investigated the incident. All three groups have a history of credibility in these matters, as well as people on the ground that can confirm or refute allegations.

The case involves a Hindu woman named Koli Goswami. According to the BHBCUC report, at least five Muslim perpetrators including a government official broke into Koli's home at 12:45am on June 13, 2009. They vandalized the home and grabbed the 20-year-old-college student. When the girl tried to alert others by screaming, they covered her head and, as others started coming to her rescue, fired pistols in the air to scare them away. One of the alleged perpetrators, Touhidul Islam Bhuiya (Sumon) is currently facing murder charges in a separate case.

Yet, the Bangladeshi police have denied that any crime was committed in this case; which also allows Sumon to remain free. When GHRD and BDMW representatives visited the site, police told them, "It is not kidnapping. It is love affairs between kidnapper and victim." Kidnapper? Victim? That hardly sounds like a love affair. So, Bangladeshi police, as is standard in these matters (and they are not uncommon), have refused to pursue a case: despite physical evidence of a break-in at the family home; despite the video taped testimony of the family; despite the lodging of a complaint by the girl's uncle; and despite requests by the family for them to help locate and produce Koli.

Although I am investigating the matter further, the basic facts in this case (that is, the break in and abduction) are not in dispute. The police, too, have seen the physical evidence, as well as other material provided by BDMW's Rabindra Ghosh. The incident itself is a terrible crime, but making matters worse is the fact that it remains a common occurrence in Bangladesh. Victims are universally young women and girls, sometimes boys, of child bearing years or younger. The choice of victims is deliberate and as such, meets the fourth condition of genocide, as described in the international Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: "Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.

The active participation by a government official in the Koli Goswami forced conversion, as well as police refusal to prosecute the case, are consistent with other incidents of active government involvement and support for forcibly converting young minority members to Islam. It is also consistent with figures gathered during the period of Arab terror bombings in Israel. During that period, Arab terrorists disproportionately bombed places frequented by Israeli Jews of childbearing years or younger: children and even babies especially in Judea and Samaria, clubs like Mike’s Place in Tel Aviv, markets where young mothers shop, shopping malls, and so forth. What Islamists cannot gain because they are militarily weak and morally bankrupt, they try to gain through genocide.

And consider this: at the time of the India-Pakistan partition (1947), Hindus made up almost one third of the population in the territory known today as Bangladesh. Today, they are but nine percent. There can be little doubt that incidents such as that of Koli Goswami are part of a deliberate process that has caused that population decline; and if it is not stopped, we will witness an end to Bangladesh's minorities in our lifetimes.

Link

Hindus looking for justice, leaving days under fear

2009-07-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

Written by CDA Staff Minority Jul 27, 2009

On July 25th local Muslims attacked on a four Hindu minority houses and ransacked the local temple at Narsangdi in Bangladesh.

On Saturday late night at Charsindhu village of Polash union a group of armed Muslims attacked on a local Hindhu temple and near by four Hindu houses said a victim Onjoli Bormon

Minority Hindu victim victim Onjoli Bormon said a group of armed Muslims lead by Joinal came and attacked on our temple as we run to save the temple and the perpetrators attack on us and in our houses

In attack Mr.Dirandra chondro Bormaon ,Ms.Onjoli Bormon ,Ms.Nioti Bormon,Mr.Hironi Bormon and Sunil Bormon were seriously injured.

Some of them get admitted in local hospital said Minority Hindu victim Onjoli Bormon

Locals said to grave the land of Hindu crematorium (where Hindu people get burned) yard the local Muslims attacked on them

Catholic human rights activist Annie Halder said attacks on different Hindu minorities are raising all over the country this is really alarming. We highly condemn attack on these minority Hindu families.

Local police said we are doing our best to trace the people behind this attack and already we have insure the security of the minorities on that area.

Citizens, not enemies

2009-03-08T08:33:00.001-07:00

Naeem Mohaiemen

DEBATES around religious minorities, in election season and otherwise, focus on anecdotes and analogies -- positive and negative. What is largely missing in this discussion is quantitative analysis of the religious minorities status in Bangladesh.

The one variation is Professor Abul Barkat, of the Dhaka University Department of Economics. Since the 1990s, Barkat along with his large team of researchers have been applying the methods of economic, statistics and survey research to compile a comprehensive picture of Hindu community status since independence of Bangladesh, especially as it has been impacted by the black law known as Enemy (Vested) Property Act.

The missing Hindus
In order to quantify the total loss of Hindu population through migration, voluntary and involuntary, the study looks at official population statistics as well as Tahsil office records. Hindu population, as share of total population, has dropped from 18% in 1961 to 12% in 1981 and finally to 9% in 2001. The rate of decline was most pronounced in six districts: Chandpur, Feni, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Kushtia, Pabna, and Narayanganj, In the districts which historically had high Hindu population, the average decline over forty years was 12%

Looking at the absolute number of Hindu population over forty years is not sufficient to calculate how many of them have left the country. It is also necessary to factor in birth rates. Looking at historic data of lower birth rates among Hindus, Barkat's research assumed 13% lower fertility rate for Hindus compared to Muslims. Factoring this in, the Hindu population should have been 11.4 million in 1971, but it was reported as 9.6 million. By 2001 it should have been 19.5 million, but it was 11.4 million. Looking at the entire time period and doing the same calculation, Barkat estimates the total missing Hindu population from 1964-2001 as 8.1 million, i.e., 218,819 missing Hindus each year.

While there are many factors that may have contributed to this ongoing depletion of the Hindu population, the research team argues that the Vested Property Act is the single largest factor that leads to minority departure from the country.

Metamorphosis of Vested Property Act
The Vested Property Act started life as Requisition of Property Act (Act XIII of 1948), after 2 million Hindus left East Bengal in 1947-48. Giving the power for takeover of abandoned property "needful for the purposes of the state," this act has evolved into something abused by citizen and state from Partition to today's Bangladesh.

This law metamorphosed into East Bengal Evacuees Act (1951), East Pakistan Disturbed Persons Rehabilitation Ordinance (1964), Enemy Property Order (1965), Bangladesh Vesting of Property and Assets Order (1972), and finally Vested and Non-Resident Property Act (1974).

As a result of publication of Barkat's first two studies, and major campaigning around this issue, the 22nd session of National Parliament under the Awami League government passed Vested Property Return Act 2001. While this was a first milestone, there were several major flaws: the act covered only land vested up to February 1969; the original owner or heir is required to have "continuously" resided in Bangladesh; and the owner had to submit claims within 90 days of publication of list of returnable properties.

In November 2002, the BNP-Jamaat alliance government passed an amendment to the 2001 act, which removed all enforcing power from this law. Especially harmful was the clause that gave the government "unlimited time" to publish the list and enforce return of property. Since the passage of this amendment, not a single list has been published, nor any return process initiated in the last six years.

Quantification of impact
As part of the multi-year study that led to Professor Barkat and his team's new book, the following data collection instruments were used: primary data via panel studies of 16 districts, follow-up study on households surveyed in 1997 study, Population Census, Land Survey, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics logs, Tahsil and Thana land revenue records, etc.

Below we present the key findings from the study:

1. 43% of all Hindu households (1.2 million) have been affected by EPA/VPA. 57% of households that lost land lost an average of 100 decimals. Survey data shows 33% of affluent Hindu families lost land due to EPA/VPA. 50% of affluent households had at least one close relative who lost land

2. Total area of land lost is 2.01 million acres, which is 5.5% of Bangladesh's total land mass but 45% of land owned by the Hindu community. The survey data shows 22% more land loss than is shown in the official records. According to survey data, the total land lost is 2.6 million.

3. The type of land lost is typically agricultural (80% of total lost land), followed by homestead (11%), pond area (1.2%), orchard (1.7%), and fallow land (0.7%).

4. Assuming average market price of land as seen in the year 2007, total value of land lost is BDT 2,416,273 million.

5. 53% of incidents of dispossession and 74% of total lost land occurred between 1965-1971. After lower rates from 1972-1975, dispossession rates accelerated again from 1975. Even after the "Repeal Act" was passed in 2001, 8% of dispossession incidents occurred between 2001-2006.

6. The most typical methods of land grabbing are influential parties grabbing land in connivance with Tahsil and Thana Revenue Office, death and/or out-migration of members of the Hindu family used as excuse to enlist the whole property, grabbing the land by force, occupying land using forged documents, etc.

Professor Barkat is an academic who has put hard statistics around a complex crisis for the nation's minority community. In this election season, are there politicians out there who have the courage to make complete removal of this black law, and return of all land to dispossessed Hindu families, one of their election manifestos? We're waiting for a politician with the courage to take that principled position. Rather than losing votes, it will gain many votes. Above all, from the nation's millions of secular Muslims who look for a principled position regarding equal treatment for all citizens.

1. See, e.g. Deprivation of Hindu Minority in Bangladesh," A Barakat et al. (Pathak Shamabesh, 2008).

Naeem Mohaiemen (naeem.mohaiemen@gmail.com) writes about minorities for the Ain O Salish Kendra Annual Human Rights Report. Portions of this data analysis will be published in the 2008 Ain O Salish Kendra Annual Human Rights Report.

The Daily Star

বীরগঞ্জে দেবোত্তর জমিতে মাদ্রাসা নির্মাণ : সম্প্রীতি বিনষ্টের আশঙ্কা

2009-03-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

দিনাজপুরের বীরগঞ্জে শ্রী শ্রী কান্তজিউ দেবোত্তর জায়গায় মাদ্রাসা ঘর নির্মাণকে কেন্দ্র করে সাধারণ মানুষের মধ্যে উত্তেজনা দেখা দিয়েছে। দেবোত্তর জমিতে হঠাৎ গড়ে ওঠা মাদ্রাসা ঘর অপসারণসহ সব ধরনের অবৈধ লিজ বাতিলের দাবিতে গতকাল দিনাজপুরের বিভিন্ন সামাজিক-সাংস্কৃতিক সংগঠন মৌন মিছিল করে স্মারকলিপি দিয়েছে। এদিকে গতকাল এক জরুরি সভায় জেলা প্রশাসক মো. নবীউল হক মোল্যা মাদ্রাসা ঘর অপসারণসহ অবৈধ লিজ বাতিলে দ্রুত পদক্ষেপ নেবেন বলে হিন্দু সম্প্রদায়ের নেতাদের আশ্বস্ত করেছেন। এছাড়াও গতকাল সকাল ১১টায় হিন্দু ধর্মীয় কল্যাণ ট্রাস্টসহ কয়েকটি সংগঠন মৌন মিছিল করে জেলা প্রশাসক মো. নবীউল হক মোল্যাকে স্মারকলিপি দেয়।

জানা গেছে, গত ১৬ জানুয়ারি সকালে কতিপয় ব্যক্তি দেবোত্তর সম্পত্তির ৯৫ দাগে মাদ্রাসা ঘর নির্মাণের জন্য বাঁশ, চাটাই, টিন নিয়ে গেলে স্খানীয় হিন্দু জনসাধারণ বাধা দেয়। পরের দিন ১৭ জানুয়ারি হিন্দু জনসাধারণের পক্ষে বীরগঞ্জ কেন্দ্রীয় মহাশ্মশান উন্নয়ন ও পরিচালনা কমিটির উপদেষ্টা মতিলাল দাস বীরগঞ্জ থানায় অবৈধভাবে মাদ্রাসা ঘর নির্মাণের বিষয়টি অবহিত করে একটি জিডি করেন। জিডি নং-৫৯০। জিডিতে দেবোত্তর জায়গায় অবৈধভাবে মাদ্রসা নির্মাণ বসহ এলাকায় শান্তি-শৃঙ্খলা ও সম্প্রীতি বজায় রাখার জন্য অনুরোধ জানানো হয়। এ ব্যাপারে বীরগঞ্জ ভূমি অফিসে যোগাযোগ করা হলে সহকারী কমিশনার (ভূমি) আবু রায়হান জানান, ১৯৭৮-৭৯ সালে সেটেলমেন্ট কেসে দেবোত্তর সম্পত্তির ৯৫ দাগের ৮৫ শতক জমি জনৈক মো. নুহু নামে একজনকে চিরস্খায়ী বন্দোবস্ত প্রদান করা হয়। এর মধ্যে মো. নুহু ৩৩ শতক জমি বীরগঞ্জ শান্তিবাগ আলহেরা নূরানী তালিমুল কুরআন মাদ্রাসার কাছে বিক্রি করেছেন। সে সূত্র ধরে মাদ্রাসা কমিটি দেবোত্তর জায়গায় ঘর তুলেছেন বলে তিনি জানান। তবে দেবোত্তর সম্পত্তির লিজ বা চিরস্খায়ী বন্দোবস্ত দেয়ার কোন বিধান নেই। কিভাবে চিরস্খায়ী বন্দোবস্ত দেয়া হয়েছে তা খতিয়ে দেখতে হবে।

শান্তিবাগ আলহেরা নূরানী তালিমুল কুরআন মাদ্রাসার সভাপতি সিদ্দিকুল আলমের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ করা হলে তিনি জানান, ২০০৭ সালে মাদ্রাসা কমিটি ৬ লাখ ৬০ হাজার টাকার বিনিময়ে ৩৩ শতক জায়গা মো. নুহুর কাছ থেকে ক্রয় করেন। এর মধ্যে এ পর্যন্ত ৪ লাখ টাকা নুহু মিয়াকে মাদ্রাসা কমিটি প্রদান করেছেন। কিন্তু কাগজপত্রে জটিলতা থাকার কারণে এখন পর্যন্ত ক্রয়কৃত জায়গাটি রেজিস্ট্রি করা সম্ভব হয়নি। তিনি আরও বলেন, গত ২৭ জানুয়ারি সকালে তারা বেড়া দিয়ে মাদ্রাসা ঘর নির্মাণ কাজ শুরু করেন এবং পরের দিন ২৮ জানুয়ারি পর্যন্ত ৩টি ঘর তুলেছেন। জায়গা রেজিস্ট্রি ছাড়া কেন দেবোত্তর সম্পত্তিতে মাদ্রাসা নির্মাণ করছেন এ প্রশ্নের জবাবে তিনি কিছু জানাতে অপারগতা প্রকাশ করেছেন।

স্খানীয় হিন্দু জনসাধারণ জানায়, থানায় জিডি করার পরও পুলিশ কোন ব্যবস্খা নেয়নি। বীরগঞ্জ উপজেলা হিন্দু বৌদ্ধ, খ্রিস্টান ঐক্য পরিষদের সভাপতি অরুন চন্দ্র দাস জানান, ঘর নির্মাণের বিষয়টি বীরগঞ্জ থানার ভারপ্রাপ্ত কর্মকর্তা মোজাম্মেল হককে বার বার অবহিত করা হলেও তিনি কার্যকর পদক্ষেপ নেননি। থানায় জিডি করার ১০ দিন পর দেবোত্তর জায়গায় মাদ্রাসা ঘর নির্মিত হয়েছে।

এদিকে বিষয়টি নিয়ে গত ১ ফেব্রুয়ারি বীরগঞ্জ উপজেলা নির্বাহী কর্মকর্তা মারুফ হাসানের উপস্খিতিতে উভয়পক্ষের মধ্যে বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠিত হয়। বৈঠকে দেবোত্তর সম্পত্তি থেকে সদ্য নির্মিত মাদ্রাসা ঘরটি অপসারণের জন্য মাদ্রাসা কমিটিকে নির্দেশ দেয়া হয়। কিন্তু অজ্ঞাত কারণে মাদ্রাসা ঘরটি এখনও অপসারণ করা হয়নি। উপরন্তু ২ ফেব্রুয়ারি দিনাজপুর এক্সিকিউটিভ ম্যাজিস্ট্রেট সিআরপিসি বীরগঞ্জ আদালতে মো. নুহু বাদী হয়ে স্খানীয় হিন্দু নেতাদের বিবাদি করে একটি মামলা করেন। মামলার আরজিতে বাদি উদ্দেশ্য প্রণোদিতভাবে সাম্প্রদায়িক সম্প্রীতি বিনষ্টের লক্ষ্যে উস্কানিমূলক উক্তি ব্যবহার করেন।

সংবাদ, ১১ ফেব্রুয়ারি, ২০০৯

মনোহরগঞ্জে ৭টি সংখ্যালঘু পরিবার বিতাড়িত : ঘরবাড়ি জবরদখল

2009-03-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

মনোহরগঞ্জের হাতীমারা গ্রামের সংখ্যালঘুরা একটি সন্ত্রাসী বাহিনীর হাতে জিম্মি হয়ে পড়েছে। ইতোমধ্যে ৭টি পরিবারকে বাড়ি থেকে বিতাড়িত করে জায়গাজমি জবরদখল করে নিয়েছে। সর্বশেষ গত রোববার একটি মামলার তদন্ত চলাকালে সন্ত্রাসীরা তাদের ওপর বর্বরোচিত হামলা চালিয়েছে। এ ব্যাপারে থানায় অভিযোগ দায়ের করা হয়েছে।

গত রোববার সকালে সংখ্যালঘু পরিবারের সদস্যরা লাকসাম সেটেলমেন্টে একটি আপিল মামলার বাদি পক্ষ হিসেবে তাদের বক্তব্য প্রদানের জন্য তদন্ত অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্খিত হলে প্রতিপক্ষের লোকজন তাদের ওপর অতর্কিতে হামলা চালায়। পরে সংখ্যালঘু পরিবারের সদস্যরা অনুষ্ঠানস্খল থেকে পালিয়ে যেতে বাধ্য হন। এ ব্যাপারে কাশিচন্দ্র দেবনাথ মনোহরগঞ্জ থানায় লিখিত অভিযোগ দায়ের করেছেন। এদিকে হামলার সময় দুই তদন্ত কর্মকর্তাও তদন্ত অসম্পূর্ণ রেখে চলে যান।

মামলার তদন্ত চলাকালে সন্ত্রাসীদের হামলা

জানা গেছে, ষোল বছর আগে হাতীমারা। গ্রামের এক প্রভাবশালী তৎকালীন স্খানীয় আওয়ামী লীগের সভাপতি আবদুল মান্নান খান ও তার ভাই আবদুল জব্বার খান একই গ্রামের কাশিচন্দ্র দেবনাথ, লালিত মোহন দেবনাথ, বলরাম চন্দ্র দেবনাথ, সুজন চন্দ্র দেবনাথ, জগদীশ চন্দ্র দেবনাথ, শ্রীধাম চন্দ্র দেবনাথসহ দু’টি বাড়ির সাতটি পরিবারের সদস্যদের অস্ত্রের মুখে বাড়ি থেকে বের করে দিয়ে বাড়িঘরসহ প্রায় দশ একর সম্পত্তি দখল করে নেয়। দীর্ঘ সময়েও নির্যাতিত লোকজন এলাকার গণ্যমান্য ব্যক্তিসহ অনেকের দ্বারে দ্বারে ঘুরেও কোন প্রতিকার পায়নি। অবশেষে ১/১১ এরপর ২ সেপ্টেম্বর কুমিল্লা জেলা জজ অধিক্ষেত্রভুক্ত আদালতের ললিত মোহান দেবনাথ ও কাশিচন্দ্র দেবনাথ একটি মামলা করেন।

হাতীমারা গ্রামের নব্বই বছর বয়সের বৃদ্ধ হাছান আহম্মদ জানান, প্রায় ১৬ বছর আগে মন্নান খান ও জব্বার খানের নেতৃত্বে একটি সন্ত্রাসী বাহিনী কাশি দেবনাথ এবং বলরাম দেবনাথসহ দু’টি সংখ্যালঘুর বাড়িতে হামলা চালিয়ে তাদের বের করে দেয় এবং বাড়িঘর ও কৃষি জমি জোরপূর্বক দখল করে নেয়। একই গ্রামের সৈয়দ আহম্মদ মজুমদার (৬৫) জানান, সংখ্যালঘু পরিবারের সদস্যদের ওপর মান্নান খান ও জব্বার খানের সন্ত্রাসীবাহিনীর অত্যাচার নির্যাতন ৭১ সালের পাক হানাদারদের বর্বরতাকেও হার মানিয়েছে। তাদের বর্বরতার হাত থেকে সংখ্যালঘু পরিবারের তরুণীরাও রক্ষা পায়নি। একই কথা জানান, হাতীমারা গ্রামের মোস্তফা কামাল, জাফর আহম্মদ, কাজী সিরাজুল ইসলাম ও আবুল হাসেম (৬৫)। এ ব্যাপারে মহোহরগঞ্জ থানার ভারপ্রাপ্ত কর্মকর্তা (ওসি) ইউনুছ আলী জানান, গত রোববার কাশিচন্দ্র দেবনাথ একটি লিখিত অভিযোগ করেছেন।

সংবাদ, ১০ ফেব্রুয়ারি, ২০০৯

A Madrasa in the place of historical 'Kantajee Temple'

2009-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Islamic fascist forcefully setup “Madrasa in the place of historical “Terokota Mondir” at Birgonj, Dinajpur in Bangladesh

By William Gomes

“Terokota Mondir” is a famous religious place for the Hindus all over sub continent. “Terokota Mondir” is located at Birgonj, Dinajpur in Bangladesh . It was donated as a deity property by King Jogodis Chandra Roy in the name of “Shri Shir KantiJew Thakur”. Total 16 acer 23 Sotok land was donated by the kind king .

On 16th January 2009 a group of Islamic fascist came in the “Mondir (Temple) and start building the house for ” Al Hera Nurani Talimul Quran Madrasa” the local Hindu devotee protested on that communal attitude. And in 17th Januray 2009 Shri Moti Lal das filed a general diary (GD No:590) in Birgonj ploice station on behalf of the local Hindu devotee narrating the illegal activity of Islamic fascist and demanding to stop the illegal activates of Islamic fascist.

The chairman of local UP (Union council) of Birgonj, Shri Arun Chandra das said to the source that although they informed the illegal activities to Oc Mujammel Huq of Birgonj police station he did not take any necessary steps.

The Human rights organization ” Christain development Alternative (CDA) highly protested on this illegal activities of Islamic fascist and demand to Mr. Sitangshu Guha of OP US and visiting delegate of OP US Dr. Thomas Dulu to bring this fact to the national and international community and take urgent actions as soon as possible. We also want to request to Dr.Thomas Dulu of OP to visti the Temple immediately and talk to Her Excellency Prime Minster S Hasina to make it clear about her governments policy regarding securing the rights of the minorities of Bangladesh.We also demand to suspend the OC of BirGonj.

Our Politics of Dispossession- part 5

2009-02-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Decoding communal intent
Many who wish to deny the existence of specific religious discrimination argue that incidents of harassment, looting, rape, etc. occur against all impoverished communities in Bangladesh. However, it is clear that even within a dire rights scenario, the religious minorities continue to be the most vulnerable. The challenge with decoding communal intent behind attacks is that press coverage is too meagre to draw a full picture. However, in cases where there is sustained reporting, it is often revealed that land-grabbing is a primary motive, and thus we return to Enemy/Vested Property Act as a root cause.

Attempts to grab land are usually accompanied by violence, as in the Ishyarganj case where the family of goldsmith Amal Roy was kept confined in their own home for almost a year by attacks from neighbours over a land dispute. In Rupganj, local thugs demanded Shadeb Roy sell his land to them and "move to India." The murder of a Buddhist nun in Rangamati in Chittagong Hill Tracts was also reported to be in connection with a land dispute.

Raj Aniket/ Driknews

In Ulipur, an acre of land belonging to the family of Upanendranath Sarkar was grabbed in defiance of a court order . Even media visibility was not sufficient protection, as attempts were made to grab land belonging to Janakantha journalist Niranjan Pal and famed columnist and economist Birupakkha Pal .

Other incidents of land-grabbing were reported at Shahjadpur temple and against thirty bigha of land belonging to heirs of Uma Rani Sarkar in Ghatkoir village, Naogaon. In another incident in Naogaon, newspapers reported that the local Jamaat e Islami leader was attempting to grab the land of Ananda Kuma Sheel of Komorpur village, Badalgachi Upazila.

Again in Shahjahanpur Upazila under Bogra, Jamaat leader Azadur Rahman targeted the land of Swapan Kumar Kundu, at one point removing all fences around the property to begin a process of "land swallowing." However, as Barakat's research has shown, all political party affiliated local leaders, not just Jamaat-e-Islami, have benefited from Hindu land- grabbing.

The footprint of the VPA can be seen in targeting of Hindu land as more vulnerable to legal maneuvers. If a frightened family does flee to India (or anywhere else), the "continuous" living condition is broken, and the land can be grabbed (even under the Vested Property Repeal Act, which maintains this clause).

Thus, in Kaliakoir, land belonging to several Hindu families including Paritosh Chandra Sarkar were targeted by local leader Hazrat Ali, who threatened physical violence and ordered the families to again "go to India."

In Keraniganj, the remnant of a structure of a two hundred year old Parshanath temple was obliterated by what the newspapers described as "land pirates." Working over a period of few years, the miscreants have gradually removed bricks from the temple (which may even fetch a price in the stolen artifacts market) and have now started using Vested Property claims to occupy the land.

As a result of the publication of Barakat's book, and press reports on the startling numbers on "missing Hindus" and "lost land," there was also an increase in press reporting on minority land loss in 2008. A Prothom Alo investigation revealed that in the case of the three-acre water land belonging to the zamindar family of Pran Gobinda Chowdhury, the land has been illegally occupied since 2003 by local politicians, through forged documents prepared by land administration officials with help of people in the zila administrative headquarters.

Amirul Rajiv

An Ittefaq investigation uncovered that over 11,300 acres of land in Jessore had been grabbed as vested property. Since 2002, a large amount of this land went under the control of a political family linked to a powerful minister in the BNP-Jamaat government. This individual political family had taken control of Sadar Police Fari, HMM Road's belt-bag corner, Modern Building, Laldighi Par Government Building, Jessore College building on RN Road, JP office Gohata Road, Daratana Siddik Bakery building, Jhinedar Beel, Ghop Nowapara Saline project, Shammiloli School Shaheed Minar square, a fifty year old gymnasium, etc.

In another investigation, Jugantor revealed that of 30,000 acres of land officially appropriated by the Chittagong land administration as "vested property" (not counting land privately grabbed by individuals), only 5,000 acres were actually under government control and rest had been occupied by "unknown parties." While media reporting still remains sporadic, these occasional news reports do begin to generate focus and mass awareness around these issues.

Looking ahead
Professor Abul Barakat assisted in drafting the economic recommendations of the Awami League's election manifesto. It appears that he is part of the "brains trust" that may be guiding the party's economic policy in the first hundred days of 2009. Given his past focus on VPA/EPA, and the reference to the matter in the AL manifesto, we hope for a quick resolution of this matter in 2009.

Not simply in enforcing the 2001 Repeal Act, but also in amending the key flaws in that act (continuous stay, post-1969 land, financial compensation for non-recuperable land, etc.).

Given the nature of the 2008 election, especially the defeat of the primary religion-based party, and election of fourteen MPs from minority community, there are progressive voices calling for steps to reinforce the secular concept of 1971. However, some of these steps will be challenging and complex.

By contrast, Vested Property Act is a situation where no one can deny the statistical evidence of economic damage, nor can any argument be marshaled for preventing redress. Immediate and full repeal of this black law, return of all vested land, and compensation to claimants can bring practical economic justice to 1.2 million affected households. Economic parity, rather than platitudes and slogans, is the priority for citizens of diverse ethno-religious backgrounds.

Naeem Mohaiemen (naeem. Mohaiemen@gmail.com) works on art, technology & activist projects. Excerpts from this essay appear in the 2008 Ain o Salish Kendra Annual Human Rights report (askbd.org).

Our Politics of Dispossession- part 4

2009-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Quantification of impact
As part of the multi-year study that led to Professor Barakat and his team's new book, the following data collection instruments were used: primary data via panel studies of 16 districts, follow-up study on households surveyed in the 1997 study, Population Census, Land Survey, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics logs, Tahsil and Thana land revenue records, etc. Below are some key findings of this research:

Kafkaesque legal nightmare
In the absence of a permanent legal solution to the issue of Enemy/Vested Property Act, individual plaintiffs suffer unimaginable hardship and legal delay in attempting to retrieve their land. In a majority of cases, the legal process itself bankrupts the Hindu family, while the land-grabbers, with collusion of the government land office, and usually with backing of the political party in power, maintain their decades long grip on the land. In an example of the exhausting time-span of such legal cases, we can look at Mehir Chandra Bhomick vs District Commissioner of Brahmanbaria under Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury.

The land in dispute originally belonged to Sharat Chandra and Tara Nath Chakraborty. After Sarat's death, his sons Haridas and Krishna Kanto became heirs. Basanta Kumar and his two brothers purchased the property in 1968. After this, the land was purchased by Mehir Bhomick, but the DC of Brahmanbaria declared the land as "Vested" in 1984. The land occupants then filed a statement claiming that the original Hindu owner had left for India in 1965 and the land was "vested" from that time onwards. The trial court decreed the suit and Bhomick filed appeal, after which a retrial decided in his favour in 1995. The DC then filed another appeal in 1997, which resulted in a judgment in his favour in 2000. Bhomick now applied under section 115 of Code of Civil Procedure and received a judgment in his favour in 2007. However, the process is not resolved and one can imagine the DC again filing an appeal using the loopholes created by non-repeal of Vested Property Act. This entire legal procedure is over a land totaling 20 decimal. A legal layman may not comprehend all the legal routes via which such matters are resolved, but anyone can conclude that most Hindu families that have had their land grabbed in last five decades will not have either the resources or the stamina to pursue such an exhausting legal process.

The case of Jayanta Kumar Roy illustrates the dangerous role of local land offices and multiple historical ironies. Roy was killed in 1971 by the Pakistan army, but instead of receiving a posthumous "freedom fighter" certificate, his family's land was seized by local agents as "vested property." After campaigning on this issue for decades, his nephew Anjan Roy finally received an intervention from the chief advisor's office declaring that the land was not "vested property." In spite of this, the land occupant has continued to build a permanent structure on this land, with no effective action taken by the Pabna District administration.

1. Households: 43% of all Hindu households (1.2 million) have been affected by EPA/VPA. 57% of households that lost land lost an average of 100 decimals. Survey data shows 33% of affluent Hindu families lost land due to EPA/VPA. 50% of affluent households had at least one close relative who lost land
2. Total Land: Total area of land lost is 2.01 million acres, which is 5.5% of Bangladesh's total land mass but 45% of land owned by the Hindu community. The research shows two numbers: one is the impact on Hindu community as measured by the official land records, the second is the impact as measured by survey data. The survey data shows 22% more land loss (2.6 million acres) than official records. The type of land lost is typically agricultural, homestead, pond area, orchard, fallow land, etc.

3. Value: Assuming average market price of land as seen in the year 2007, total value of land lost is Tk. 2,416,273 million (Tk. 3,106,636 million from survey data).

4. Sale Value: Even if land is being lawfully sold, the price of Hindu-owned land is reported as Tk. 900,000 per acre, as compared to Tk. 1,500,000 for similar Muslim-owned land

5. Methods of dispossession: Influential parties grab land in connivance with Tahsil and Thana Revenue Office, Tahsil and Thana Revnue Office itself grabs land. Death and/or out-migration of one member of a Hindu family is used as excuse to enlist the whole property. Influential parties grab the land by using violence, local thugs, and forged documents. Influentials allure sharecroppers to occupy land, and then become eventual owners, etc.

6. Accompanying harassment: Harassment that accompanies land-grabbing includes obstruction in casting vote in elections, obstruction in harvesting crops, workplace intimidation, property destruction, eve-teasing, looting, robbery, obstruction in shopping, extortion, etc.

7. Political affiliation: Barakat's research also shows that grabbers try to change their political affiliation with each change in government. We can conclude that either party affiliation is switching after change of government, or ownership is switching from one party affiliate to another.

Our Politics of Dispossession- part 3

2009-02-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

In 1972, "Bangladesh Vesting of Property and Assets Order" merged the abandoned property of those who had left for Pakistan with those who had left for India. This was further solidified in "Vested and Non-Resident Property Act" of 1974. This new development provided useful obfuscation and political cover. The newly independent nation's mood towards Pakistan was naturally hostile, and, therefore, the idea of seizing land abandoned by "Pakistanis" or "Biharis" was popular. However, as Barakat has shown, the vast majority of land appropriated under this act, as with previous versions, was and continues to be Hindu property. On March 23, 1974, the High Court ruled that no further property could be enlisted as Vested Property. However, this ruling continued to be ignored in practice for the next three decades.

Shahadat Parvez/ Driknews

As a result of the publication of Barakat's first two studies, and major campaigning around this issue, the 22nd session of the National Parliament passed the "Vested Property Return Act 2001." While this law was a milestone in beginning the return of Hindu owned property to their rightful owners, there were several key flaws: The act covered only land vested up to February 1969. This meant all Hindu land appropriated from 1969 to 2001 (and beyond) was not covered by this act. If the land had been permanently transferred to statutory or other organisation, and return of land was impossible, there was no provision for financial compensation. The original owner or heir is required to have "continuously" resided in Bangladesh, an absurd clause that allows many legal claimants to be excluded. The original owner also had to submit claims within 90 days of publication of the list of returnable properties. Finally, Hindu women heirs were excluded from inheritance in case of death of male owners, a convenient "accommodation" to "Hindu religious personal law."

In November 2002, the new alliance government passed an amendment to the 2001 Act, which essentially gutted all enforcing power. Especially harmful was the clause that gave the government "unlimited time" in which to publish the list and enforce return of property. Since the passage of this amendment, not a single list has been published, nor any return process initiated in the last six years.

Our Politics of Dispossession- part 2

2009-02-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

The missing Hindus
In order to quantify the total loss of Hindu population through forced migration, Barakat's study looks at official population statistics as well as Tahsil office records. Based on this analysis, Barakat and his team have concluded that the Hindu population, as share of total population, has dropped from 18% in 1961 to 12% in 1981, and finally to 9% in 2001.

The rate of decline was most pronounced in six districts: Chandpur, Feni, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Kushtia, Pabna and Narayanganj. In the districts which historically had high Hindu population (Khulna, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Sunamganj, Jhenaidah, Barisal), the average decline over forty years was 12%.

Looking at the absolute number of Hindu population over forty years is not enough to calculate how many of them have left the country. It is also necessary to factor in birth rates. Looking at historic data of lower birth rates among Hindus as compared to Muslims (something that, ironically, played into scare-mongering by the Hindu right during Partition riots), the study assumed 13% lower fertility rate for Hindus compared to Muslims.

Factoring this in, the Hindu population should have been 11.4 million in 1971, but it was reported as 9.6 million. In 1981 it should have been 14.3 million, but it was 10.6 million; in 1991 it should have been 16.5 million, it was 11.2 million; finally in 2001 it should have been 19.5 million, but it was 11.4 million. Therefore, Barakat estimates the total missing Hindu population from 1964-2001 as 8.1 million, i.e. 218,819 missing Hindus each year.

While there are many factors that may have contributed to this ongoing hemorrhaging of the Hindu population, including small-scale communal riots in the 1960s and again in the 1980s and 2001, and lack of opportunities in work and business. But above all else, the research team argues that the Vested Property Act is the singular factor that leads to minority departure from the country.

Stubborn persistence of Vested Property Act
The transformation of "Enemy" to "Vested" is a circuitous one, and poorly understood outside the legal profession. What was first created to encourage and solidify the facts of the first Partition, has been systematically enhanced to become a tool of forced migration through the decades. The two major periods of forced migration of Hindu population from East Bengal were in 1947, and then again in 1965. But as we see, the laws that were formed around these periods continued to be used up to 2006, and beyond.

As over 2 million Hindus left for India, the new Pakistan government passed the "Requisition of Property Act" (Act XIII of 1948), which was supposed to last for three years. Giving the power for takeover of abandoned property "needful for the purposes of the state," this act has continued and evolved into something abused by citizens and state.

In the year of expiry, a new law "East Bengal Evacuees Act" (1951) was passed, that defined any resident of East Bengal who left for India due to "communal disturbance or fear thereof" as an "evacuee" whose land could be appropriated.

In 1964, the Hazrat Bal incident in Kashmir resulted in new communal disturbances in East Pakistan, which then led to "East Pakistan Disturbed Persons Rehabilitation Ordinance" (1964). This new ordinance restricted transfer of "immovable property of minority community" without permission of the authorities. This, in effect, meant that any Hindu person wishing to leave East Bengal for any reason would now face significant barriers to even the lawful sale of their property -- they would have no choice but to "abandon" their land.

So far, the laws passed were stop-gap measures, with the mass exodus of 1948 and the communal disturbance of 1964 as the stated rationale. The laws were presented as simply ratifying the ground reality. But the 1965 India-Pakistan war brought a frightening new dimension, with the equation of Hindu-Muslim/India-Pakistan/Enemy-Friend now being in the public space. The war ended in only 17 days, after the Tashkent Declaration, but the "Enemy Property Order" (1965) would continue for decades. The signal importance of this law, which continued the trajectory of various ordinances since 1947, is shown by the manner in which it has survived each change of governance. Pakistan was under a military state of emergency from 1965 to 1969. But on the day the emergency was lifted, the government passed "Enemy Property (Continuance of Emergency Provisions) Ordinance" (Ordinance 1 of 1969). Again, following the 1971 liberation of Bangladesh, this law miraculously survived via "Laws of Continuance Enforcement Order" (1971).

Our Politics of Dispossession- part 1

2009-02-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

Naeem Mohaiemen

Amdadul Huq/ Driknews

When talking about human rights, complacent analysis comforts us with nostalgic notions like: "Bangalis have always been egalitarian/secular/(insert favourite value)." But in the context of life in a subcontinent with too many people fighting for too few resources, legal infrastructure is far more important than attitudes and social norms.

Within this context, there are certain laws that stubbornly stay in place. In some cases, this is because political parties consider them to be useful future tools (Special Powers Act). In other cases, it is because questions of patriotism and security are considered off limits to debate (anti-terrorism laws).

Then we come to a special case like the Vested or Enemy Property Act (VPA/EPA), which is always criticised in public forums, yet stays on the books because so many powerful forces have benefited from institutionalised land-grabbing from Hindu citizens.

When confronted with the continuing decline of Bangladesh's Hindu population, many respond that it is a "question of loyalty." In this sinister rhetoric, Hindus are leaving because they fail to integrate themselves with a "Bangladeshi" citizenship concept. This helps foster an attitude of permanent "outsider" status for the nation's minority communities, further weakening the Bangladeshi state's commitment to diversity.

What is largely missing in this discussion is quantitative analysis of the economic condition of the Hindu community, particularly in the context of VPA. Economist Professor Abul Barakat of Dhaka University has been looking at this area of analysis since the 1990s. Barakat and a large team of researchers have been applying the methods and tools of economic, statistics and survey research to compile the most comprehensive picture of Hindu community status since independence of Bangladesh, especially as it has been impacted by the black law known as Enemy Property Act, later Vested Property Act.

This work started with a 1997 book, Political Economy of Vested Property Act in Rural Bangladesh, and continued through the 2000 book An Inquiry into Causes and Consequences of Deprivation of Hindu Minorities in Bangladesh through the Vested Property Act. These two in-depth studies generated a national debate and resulted in the repeal of the Vested Property Act and passing of the Vested Property Repeal (Return) Act of 2001.

Shafiq Islam/ Driknews

Thus, we consider the most significant development in 2008 in the area of minority rights was the publication of Professor Barakat's new book, which is the result of a mammoth, multi-year study looking at the impact of VPA on Hindu property from 1965-2007. This study resulted in the February publication of Living With Vested Property. Professor Barakat was instrumental in the insertion of references to this issue in the Awami League's election manifesto. In view of the likely future legal, economic, political and social impact of his research, an in-depth look is required.

Source: Daily star, Forum

Minority groups fear violence in Bangladesh

2009-01-11T17:38:00.000-08:00

William Gomes

Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 05

A group of armed and drunken supporters of Bangladesh's Awami League party attacked a Hindu minority supporter of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Dec. 30, 2008. This has led to fears of a communal backlash and violence in Bangladesh.

Nitto Lal Das, age 55, was attacked around 2:30 a.m. last Tuesday by the younger brother of the local Awami League leader Abul Mansur Rubel. A group of 7 to 8 perpetrators knocked on his house in KuliarChar, Kisohergonj and as he opened the door, the perpetrators started beating him. During the beatings they tore off his clothes.

The brutal attackers then turned toward his family and showed no mercy for his aged mother who came to his rescue. As other family members tried to save Nitto Lal they were also attacked and hurt by the perpetrators with sharp objects and arms. During the attack several others relatives of Nitto were also hurt ,including Provati Rani Das, 40, Raju Das, 17, Shiuli Rani Das, 35, Montu Das, 40 and Sujata Das, 26.

Nitto Lal was badly injured and first taken to a local hospital and then to the Dhaka Hospital in Shamoli as his situation had worsened. Later, he was shifted to the Apollo Hospital for further treatment on December 30.

The regional coordinator of the Justice Foundation and executive director of the Christian Development Alternative, William Gomes immediately rushed to Dhaka Hospital and talked to the victim's relatives, who expressed great shock and demanded security arrangements to protect them from further attacks.

On Jan. 1, 2009, Gomes met the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission in Bangladesh and urged him to take the necessary initiatives to protect and secure the minorities in the region.

No police case was filed regarding the incident. Minorities in the area now fear communal violence similar to the one in 2001.

Source

Hasina fields family, Khaleda unleashes burqas

2008-12-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

Abhijit Dasgupta

It’s a strange election which is to be fought in Bangladesh on Monday, point to note is the various ways that the three top leaders are conducting their respective campaigns.

Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League has fielded her entire family and a famous yesteryear actress in the elections with members flying down from London to Dhaka to help her as well as campaign in their constituencies, Begum Khaleda Zia has fanned out 5,000 burqa-clad women of her ally, the Jamaat, to campaign in the various districts while former president, H.M. Ershad is singing the only tune that he is left with after years in jail, joining hands with Hasina’s mahajot and saying she is his “sister”.

They, to these elections, however, lie with the youth with 30 per cent of the voters below 30 years. For this reason chiefly, there is an abundance of young candidates, the main draw being Hasina’s 18-year -old niece, Rehana.

Of course, there is not much talk of the country’s help to foment terrorism in India and local issues are centre stage. The ninth general elections to elect 300 members to Jatiya Samsad (National Assembly) on December 29 in Bangladesh will, however, be a test of whether minorities (read Hindus) will be allowed to vote freely. All the three leaders have made election promises saying the minorities have nothing to fear but the real picture is quite different.

The Sampreeti Mancha (Harmony Platform) in a 30-page booklet – Nirvachan O Sankhyalaghu Sampraday: Poriprekshit Bangladesh (Election and minorities – A Bangladeshi Perspective), authored by Saurabh Sikdar, Chiraranjan Sarkar and Robayat Ferdousi, has said, “Minorities in our country are far from well looked after. Aside from being ignored, neglected and humiliated, various tactics of mental torture and other forms of oppression are being unleashed on them. The 20 million minorities in our country are being humiliated at every step in life,” it said.

A leading intellectual of Bangladesh who has been jailed twice for his radical views on minorities, Shahriar Kabir, has said, "This government is a Taliban government. It is a great shame that conservative, anti-liberation elements are carrying the national flag in their cars and moving around freely espousing Begum Khaleda’s cause."

In a video cassette Ei Simana Manchhina (We Don’t Recognise This Border), Kabir made it clear that even after all these years, the Partition of India continued to be at the centre of all trouble. "Communal partition was the original sin.” Kabir has time and again fought against the anti-India stance of Begum Khaleda.

Distinguished intellectual Ajoy Roy, who lives in Bangladesh, told India Today that the Awami League was with the Hindus as always. “The vote share of Awami League-led 14-party alliance is between 38 and 40 per cent as opposed to BNP’s four-party combine’s 25 per cent. If the minorities are allowed to vote freely, there is a possibility of Hasina returning to power.”

In 2001, only a small fraction of Hindu voters – accounting for eight per cent of the electorate could reach polling booths. They were threatened by BNP and Jamaat hoodlums.

Says Shahriar, “A decade back, leading dailies published series of news about Harkatul Jihad’s activities. It was reported that there are more than 15,000 militant workers belonging to Harkatul Jihad; a few of them were also government officials. According to a leading English daily, the Jihad has trained 25,000 youths during the last 14 years in Chittagong alone.”

After the four-party alliance of Begum Khaleda came to power in October 2001, the activities of the militants have been on the rise. Now the number of these groups is as many as five times more than during the earlier regime. Earlier there were only two or three militant groups known to be active in Bangladesh.”

Everybody is now wooing the Bihari voters who are mostly the Bihari Muslims who lived on after the liberation of Bangladesh. The government had to grant them citizenship, following a court order in May this year. And for the first time, some of them are in the contest. The vote bank consisting of about 40,000 votes is concentrated in Mirpur, Pallabi and Mohammadpur areas: another segment of minorities, looked down upon by the Bengali-speaking Muslim majority.

The Awami League is focusing on Khaleda’s corruption, nepotism and the taka 200 billion power sector scam. Dhaka-watchers feel that the minorities hold the key and a last-minute swing may get Hasina back her prime ministership. Khaleda’s worst enemy is the charges of corruption against her and family members. Her son Tareq Rahman has become her Achilles Heel having managed to gain extra-constitutional power and alleged to have siphoned off millions to a Singapore bank.

indiatoday

Election 2008: Defenders of the minority vote

2008-12-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Naeem Mohaiemen

AT a seminar last week discussing the newly formed National Human Rights Commission, it was pointedly asked why it had no minority members. The chairman had no reply for us, but the question kept percolating in the room.

In another air-con room a week later, the Awami League unveiled its election manifesto. Section 18.1 pledges to improve the condition of minorities, adivasis, indigenous people, and dalits, by removing discriminatory laws, forming land commission to protect their land, creating job opportunities, etc. Section 18.2 talks about implementation of the CHT Peace Accord.

Those who recall the abrupt volte face of the AL-Khelafot Andolon alliance of December 2006, or who are distressed at the alliance presence of JP which inserted "Islam as state religion" into the constitution, will remain cautious. But while guarded, we may still hope for an incremental shift in political parties' commitment to minority rights.

Historically, minority communities have been perceived to vote for the AL (if only because the other parties are increasingly hard-line on religion). This was manifested in 2001, when Hindu voters were prevented from voting in many areas. After the BNP-Jamaat victory, BNP-allied local gangs attacked Hindu villages. According to press reports at the time, the southwestern and southern part of Bangladesh (popularly known as the 'Hindu belt') was worst affected.

Meghna Guhathakurta, in a forthcoming essay (Journal of Social Studies No. 121 January-March 2009), describes a visit to Bhola, one of the worst affected districts: "Among the atrocities committed were charging into households, attacking men, women and children with sharp knives and weapons, in certain cases threatening with guns, terrorizing women and children by beating and chasing them and in certain cases raping and attempting rape. Looting of Hindu households and sometimes Muslim households which sheltered Hindus took place throughout the night and in waves since most householders had fled in terror and their houses were left unguarded."

According to research done by a rights NGO, based on the National Democratic Institute (NDI) data-set, the 1991 and 2001 Bangladesh election results could have been different given the razor-thin margins by which many seats were won, and the huge number of minority voters that were prevented from voting in those very seats. Out of 300 constituencies for parliament seats, there are 71 where minority voters are significant (ranging from 11% to 61%) and 50 where they are visible (5-10%). According to the 2001 Population Census, the Hindu population was 11,379,000 -- 9.2 per cent of the total.

These statistics do not count other religious minorities, nor ethnic minorities. If we look at the intersection between religious and ethnic minority in Jumma people of Chittagong Hill Tracts, we find these were areas with lowest voter turnout. According to analysis of NDI data by Rahman & Ahamed (Daily Star, Dec 12), there were 850 centres where voter turnout in 2001 was less than half of total registered voters. Of these, 87 centres were in Cox's Bazaar, 49 in Bandarban, 67 in Rangamati, and 36 in Khagrachari. In addition, around 87 centres with less than 50 per cent turnout were in Cox's Bazaar-3. There were 35 polling centres where voter turnout was as low as or lower than 10 %. Of these, 18 were in Rangamati, 8 in Khagrachari, 5 in Cox's Bazaar-3, and 2 in Bandarban.

Looking at specific constituencies in 2001, Rahman & Ahamed (Daily Star, Dec 13) zero in on Bagerhat-4 where 12% voters are religious minority, and Khulna-5 where 40% of voters are religious minority. Looking at the NDI data, there is clear evidence of violence which resulted in Hindu-majority polling centres being closed, Hindu voters staying away from polls, as well as manipulation of vote counting to exclude the Hindu vote. In both constituencies, a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate was declared the winner.

As a result of the tremendous pre- and post-election violence directed at minorities in 2001, this has become an area of specific interest for international election observers in 2008. Local human rights defenders are doing outreach to make sure minority voters do not get intimidated. But so much more is needed, including a public commitment to this from the Election Commission and other administration.

In India's West Bengal, Trinamool and Left Front compete with each other to woo the minority vote (in their case, the Muslims). Of course this is practical politics -- West Bengal has a 27% Muslim population, and there is no law like Bangladesh's Vested Property Act that creates downward pressure on their numbers (in fact the Muslim voter numbers have gone up with each elections). In Bangladesh, as the Hindu population is going down due to VPA, politicians think the minority vote does not have to be respected, nor do many worry about ensuring that these voters can enter polling booths safely.

A call to protect minority rights must come from the majority. I place my hope on ordinary citizens, the silent majority, the secular Muslim. We can and must defend Bangladesh's secular core, starting with the minority vote.

Naeem Mohaiemen (naeem.mohaiemen@gmail.com) has written about minorities for Ain o Salish Kendra and Drishtipat.

Source: the dailystar

Citizens, not enemies

2008-12-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Naeem Mohaiemen

Communal Attack and Repression to Minority on October 2008

2008-12-11T01:10:00.000-08:00

1. Upazilla-Mithapukur
District-Rangpur Hasinur (20), son of Hashem Ali, and Rashed (22), son of Mahbub, forcibly confined Adori Rani, a student of class VII of Ranipukur High School of the Upazilla and raped her. They did so with the help of Farida Begum and Belly Begum, nurses of the school. Adori Rani, in apprehension of public disgrace, went back home and without divulging anything, bolted her room, and committed suicide by strangulating herself with scarf.
Samokal
02/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

2. Village-Narandia
Upazilla-Kalihati
District-Tangail A gang of unknown miscreants entered into the house of Shyamal Kumar Modak, a trader, and strangulated his 70-year old mother, Jyotsna Rani Modak, to death while she was asleep. Then the miscreants looted and made off with goods including gold ornaments worth Tk. 30, 000/. Terror prevails among the minorities over this happening.
Janokantho
02/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

3. Upazilla- Sreemangal
District-Moulavibazar Miscreants poured poison into three ponds of Biswajit Choudhury, the upazilla correspondent of Prathom Alo, and killed all fish therein. At this, he has suffered a loss of almost 3.5 lacs of taka. This has been made to happen as he, a religious minority, has been perceived to be weak. He is supposed not to be able to bear with this loss.
Prathom Alo
02/09/08
BHBCOP
Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

4. Upazilla-Sadar District-Jessore Unknown miscreants have, in a very pre-planned manner, murdered Akhil Banik, a prominent trader, cruelly and by striking with a knife. Police have recovered his dead body. Intense resentment and terror prevail among the minorities of the locality over this happening. Sangbad
03/09/08
BHBCOP
Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

5. Vill-Temer
Upa- Agoiljjhara
District-Barisal Some unidentified miscreants have damaged three images by suddenly attacking the sarbojaneen Sitola and Kali temple located beside the house of Gopal Baroi. It is mentionable that some days back miscreants entered into the temple of the house of one Mr. Das and destroyed stone images of goddess Kali and looted away implements of worship including golden ornaments.
Sangbad
02/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

6. Vill-Bargaowala
Upa- Mollarhat Dist-Bagerhat A group of terrorist freedom fighters led by Mohammad Ali--an identified landgrabber and terrorist of the locality--evicted the family of Sharat Chandra Biswas right after 10 days of his death and forcefully grabbed the land of the homestead. When, at a later time, and at the assurance of the UNO, they tried to recover the homestead, the desperate terrorists tried to murder them. As a result, members of the evicted family are leading inhuman life. Bhorer
Kagoj
01/07/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

7. Vill-Paschim Bagdha
Upa-Agoiljhara
District-Barisal Grabbing of paternal property of Mr. Manik Lal Samadder, Special Assistant of the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Government, is going on in defiance of orders of the court. People led by identified land-grabber Mojibar Master and Nurul Islam are going on doing this grabbing in violation of directives and in physical proximity of the court and administration. High resentment prevails among the religious minorities over this situation.
Prathom Alo
03/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

8. Vill-Sahebabad
Upa-Kaliakoir
District-Gazipur A gang of 15-20 masked terrorists attacked the house of Paritosh Chandra Sarker at the dead of night, damaged images there and made away with goods worth 10,000 taka including cash money. As they were leaving, the terrorists attacked the houses of Taruni Chandra Sarker and Maran Chandra Sarker and damaged those.. Jugantor
03/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

9. Village-Dadrajonti
Upazilla-Sadar
Dist-Joipurhat A gang of 20-25 miscreants broke open the doors of the house of Putul Mandal and started beating up his son, Palash in a random manner. When he came forward to save his son the miscreants murdered him cruelly, and made away with goods worth more than one lakh taka including cash money and gold ornaments. Palash has been admitted into the hospital in a critically injured condition.
Sangbad
04/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

10. Raibahadurpara
Dist-Noakhali Some unidentified miscreants perpetrated an attack on the hundred-year old temple of goddess Kali at the daed hours of night and destroyed images of Kali and other gods and goddesses. Five persons including the sebayet named Lyton got injured by their weapons when they tried to resist It is mentionable that these miscreants attacked the temple some days ago also while a program of devotional songs was going on.
Jugantor
05/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

11. Upazilla-Sonargaon
District-Narayangang One gang of terrorists led by notorious terrorists of the locality, Kaiowan, Habib and Hobu conducted a sudden attack on the devotees who had come to Sree Sree Lokenath Brahmacharee Ashram. Fifteen persons including Popi Rani Saha (30), Rony Saha (26) and Mridul Saha (40) got wounded at this. The terrorists snatched away three gold chains, taka 10,000/ in cash and 4 mobile phone sets. Such incidents regularly take place at this ashram and devotees coming from all-over the country become victims of different kinds of harassments. Janokantha
05/09/08
BHBCOP
Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

12. Village- Tikary
Upazilla-Sadar
Dist-Jheneidah Krishna Rani, daughter of Binoy Kumar and a talented student of 2nd year, was publicly molested as she did not accept indecent proposals of the terrorists of the locality. Later on , out of shame, resentment and sorrow, she committed suicide by hanging herself at night. The followers of Hinduism in the area are passing days in utter insecurity at this incident. Inquilab
06/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

13. Upazilla-Sadar
District-Pabna One gang of unidentified terrorists called Mr. Bimal Kumar Sarker, a teacher of Kuchiamora Government Primary School over mobile phone and cruelly murdered him by chopping and slaughtering. Police recovered his dead body in the morning from a pond. Extreme terror prevails among the religious minorities over this happening. Bhorer Kagoj
09/08/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

14. Vill-Lokhapur
Upa-Fakirhat
Dist-Bagerhat Terrorists of the landgrabber Baharul gang perpetrated an attack on Lakahapur Durga Temple and threw away six images including that of Goddess Durga. When resisted, the terrorists took to beating up of people and molestation of women. This has resulted in intense agitation and resentment among the Hindus of the locality.
Samokal
08/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

15. Vill-chhlachhara
Upazilla-Kulaura District-Moulavibazar Miscreants planfully cut off roots of 3000 betel leaf plants of 3 zooms. Livelihood of 250 families was connected with these 3 zooms. Having lost the betel leaf plants, they have broken down into frustration. Intense resentment prevails among the indigenous people. Prathom Alo
12/09/08
BHBCOP
Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

16. Vill- Khalishkhali
Upazilla-Patkelghata
District-Satkhira A gang of 20-30 armed and masked dacoits entered into the houses of Ranajit Aich, Amoresh Aich and Gopal Aich, who are brothers, wildly beat up every one present, took hostage at gun-point and made away with cash money of Taka 50,000/, 13 grams of gold ornaments and other valuables. They damaged things before leaving the place. It is mentionable that armed dacoity was committed some days ago at the house of Bejoy Aich of the same area. Such repression is going on because of these people�s being religious minorities. Bhorer Kagoj
12/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

17. Upazilla- Barolekha
District-Moulavibazar Jamaluddin, son of Azimuddin of the village named Katajungle, tried to rape one indigenous adolescent girl (15) in the absence at home of members of her family. She wrestled as far as she could to save her honour and struck him with the da she found within her reach. At this news, Jamaluddin�s father and other relations damaged the house of the adolescent girl. At present, the girl�s family is leading a subhuman life in hideout. Bhorer Kagoj
141/09/08

A case has been filed in this regard.

18. Village- Madla
Upa-Sajahanpur
Dist-Bogra Azadur rahaman, an influential leader of Jamat, has forcibly grabbed fifteen and half decimal of land belonging to Swapan Kumar Kundu. This Jamat leader is going on perpetrating tyranny and torture on members of the family of Swapan Kumar Kundu. In the prevailing circumstances he is leading a subhuman life in a panic-stricken condition. Janokantho
14/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

19. Kirttoniapara
Upa-Boalmari
District-Faridpur Some unidentified miscreants have damaged five images by suddenly entering into the sarbojaneen Radha-Gobinda Temple and looted away valuable implements of worship. Intense resentment and excitement prevail among the religious minority over this happening. Janokantho
15/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

20. Nannar Bazar
Upa-Dhamrai
District-Dhaka A gang of terrorists led by Lebu, an influential terrorist of the locality, have perpetrated an attack on the indigenous people taking advantage of a conflict over a pond. They damaged houses, beat up people and looted goods. 20 persons including Budhan Sing, Soneka, Behula, Simita and Dipali have got seriously injured. Intense resentment prevails among the indigenous population. Janokantho
16/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

21. Upazilla-Tongi
District-Gazipur A gang of terrorists of the region, led by Feroj, has abducted Swadesh Kumar Nath (12) to extort ransom money. They have demanded a sum of money to the tune of taka three lakhs. Janokantho
16/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

22. Upazilla-Sadar
District-Sunamganj Nizam (22), son of Seraj Miah, and Khokan demanded toll of 10,000/ taka from Titu Ghosh, the owner of an air-conditioned saloon in the town. On refusal to pay the amount, a gang of terrorists led by them damaged the saloon extensively and beat up its employees. They made away with goods worth 40,000/ taka including a gold chain weighing one gram and 9,000/ cash money. Sangbad
16/09/08
A case has been filed in this regard.

23. Village-Mannar
Upa-Dhamrai
District-Dhaka Notorious land-grabbers of the locality have dealt threats of death to Dulal Pal. They have dealt this threat as Dulal Pal took the initiative of reclaiming debottor property from the clutches of the land-grabbers. He is keeping away from home and is leading a subhuman life. Intense dissatisfaction and resentment prevail among the religious minorities over this happening.
Jugantor
18/09/08
BHBCOP
Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. No case has been filed in this regard.

24. Kathmara Bazar
Upa-Paikgachha District-Khulna Unidentified fundamentalists have destroyed images being built on the occasion of autumnal Durga Festival by attacking the sarbojaneen temple. Sharp resentment prevails among the Hindus over this happening. Jugantor
20/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. No case has been filed in this regard.

25. Village- Shobharampur
Upazilla-Sadar
District-Faridpur Miscreants have stolen away four images made of astodhatu from the Radha-Gobinda temple of the locality at night. Decorated with gold ornaments, these images would sell at Taka 50,000/. Sharp resentment prevails among the minorities over this happening.
Samokal
20/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

26. Upazilla-Sreemangal
District-Moulvibazar Shamsuddin, son of late Hafez Muslehuddin and his brothers, in collaboration with the employees of the land settlement office, have, through forgery of documents, grabbed about six acres of land belonging paternally to 11 indigenous persons including Rampati Ruhidas. After losing homestead and other land, those indigenous families are now leading a subhuman life.
Janokantho
20/09/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

27. Upa- Singair
District-Manikganj UnknA gang of miscreants led by Badal, Ripon, Khokan and Jewell conducted an attack on the home temple of Nitai Talukder while worship of Viswakarma was going on, and damaged the image of Viswakarma. Four persons were seriously injured when they tried to put up resistance. Janokantho
20/08/08
BHBCOP
District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

28. Arabpur
Upazilla-Sadar
District-Jessore Unidentified terrorists conducted an attack on the Kali Temple of the Rhishi community of Mathpara, and damaged the image of Kali there. Sharp resentment prevails among the Rhishi community over this happening.
Samokal
22/09/08 A case has been filed in this regard.

29. Mograbazar Upa-Akhaura
D-Brahmanbaria Miscreants broke open the iron grill and doors of Sree Sree Trinath Temple and damaged the image of Trinath. Sharp resentment and panic prevail among the religious minorities over this incident. Pratom Alo
24/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

30. Upa-Mirzapur
And Boalmari
District-Tangail,
& Brahmanbaria Though there was approval for distribution among distressed people 15 kgs of wheat per head before the Eid and Puja festivals, that rice has been distributed actually among the distressed of the Muslim community only. Sharp dissatisfaction prevails among the religious minorities over this. Jugantor
25/09/08 No case has been filed in this regard.

31. District-Chittagong Terrorists have, in a pre-planned manner, kidnapped Shibu Seal to extort ransom money. Ransom money to the tune of fifty lakhs of taka has been demanded from his family. There prevails intense panic among the minorities at this happening. Ittefaque
25/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

32. Vill-Nagshosha
Upazilla- Lalpur
District-Natore Abdul Mannan, a college teacher, has, with the collaboration of Popy Khatun, has abducted Sunita Rani Mandal, the college-going talented daughter of Shyamal Kumar Mandal. When a case was filed after this, the terrorist pets of the teacher are dealing death threats to him. In the circumstances related above, he is passing days with members of his family, in extreme panic and helplessness. Jugantor
25/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

33. Baddinathtola
U- Kotchandpur
Dist-Jheneidaha Unidentified fundamentalists entered into Baddinathtola Temple at dead hours of night and damaged the images of Durga and others being created on the occasion of coming Durgotsob. Sharp panic and resentment prevail among the religious minorities over this happening. Sangbad
25/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

34. Vill-Kachugora
U-Kolmakanda
Dist-Netrokona A gang of miscreants led by Rabbani and Motaber bdacoits entered into the house of Narayan Chandra Pal, a banker, at broad day-light, injured the maidservant by chopping her with sharp weapons and made away with Tk.70,000/ and 50 grams of gold ornaments. Sangbad
28/09/08
BHBCOP Central & District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

35. Sahapara
Upazilla- Sadar
Dist-Gopalgang Some miscreants entered into Sahapara Sarbojaneen Temple at dead hours of night and damaged the images of Durga and others being created on the occasion of the coming Durgotsob. Sharp panic and resentment prevail among the religious minorities over this happening. Samokal
28/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. No case has been filed in this regard.

36. Village-Behala
Upazilla- Amtoli
District-Barguna Two hundred Hindu families of this Hindu-populated village have become hostage at the hands of Sohrab Bahini. This bahiny or army has been conducting extortion of tolls, hijacking, molestation, terrorizing, etc. on the helpless families for along time. None dares to speak up in protest in fear of the terrorists. Prathom Alo
28/09/08 No case has been filed in this regard.

37. Upazilla- Sadar
District-Narsingdi Unidentified miscreants entered into Naopara Sarbojaneen Temple of Madhabdi and damaged the images of Durga and others being created on the occasion of the coming Durgotsob. The miscreants entered into the adjoining Shitola Temple of Sentu Mitra also and damaged images of goddess Shitola there. Samokal
29/09/08 No case has been filed in this regard.

38. Vill-Ettampur
U- Kumarkhali District-Kushtia Unidentified miscreants entered into Thakurbari Durga Temple and damaged the images of Durga and others being created on the occasion of the coming Durgotsob. Sharp resentment prevails among the religious minorities over this happening. Prathom Alo
29/09/08
BHBCOP District leaders of BHBCOP visited to the place of incident. A case has been filed in this regard.

39. Village- Pollghat
Upazilla- Sadra
Dist-Bagerhat Miscreants entered into Pollghat Sarbojaneen Temple and damaged two images under creation. Sharp resentment has been created among the religious minorities over this happening. Prathom Alo
29/09/08 No case has been filed in this regard.

40. Kauria Para
Upazilla- Sadar
Dist-Narsingdi A gang of 10/12 armed dacoits entered into the houses of Suresh Sutradhar, Chitra Baul, Pradip Baul and Shanti Baul by breaking open the gates, and made away with goods including cash money, gold ornaments, etc. worth more than three lacs of taka. Three persons were severely injured at blows from chapatti at this time. It is mentionable that only 7 days before this happening, dacoity was committed in houses of four families of the same village. Sangbad
29/09/08 No case has been filed in this regard.

Source

Protima of “MA DURGA” along with other protima was demolished!

2008-11-14T23:52:00.000-08:00

Background information:

Hatbaria is located in the Goplagonj district of Bangladesh. This area is highly Hindu populated area .As I have analysis the law and order situation of the Thana, I have find out a horrible picture of “Minority repression” In different trends.

Incident:

According to Subash Chandra Biswas of secretary of Hatbaria of Sarbojonin Puja Udjapan Committee, on 1-11-08 early in the morning he finds out the idols of the demolished. As he come back to home earlier in 31-10-08 around 11 pm everything was alright. He latter council with the local leaders of the Hindu community and officallly complained about this shameful, communal, atrocity in local police station in 1-11-08. But the police filed a case after two days in 3-11-08. The

Present situation:

As I went the place of incident on 4-11-08 the local people shared their present situation like this:

Local hindu leader Sadan Biswas claimed that he was threaten over mobile on 3-11-08 by the unidentified people that if they take any legal action about the said incident they will slaughter him.

Sadan also said that those who can demolish the Matir protima of MA Dugra they can also slaughter man.

Prof.Subdeb biwas said that in past 20 years we had never face this kind of communiula tack on “Ma Durga” and on our community.

Recommendations:
Immediate and decisive action is needed by the government and concerned person to address the situation .
1. Publicly condemn attacks against Protima of ” MA DURGA” .
2. Take decisive action to protect members of the Hindu community against attacks.

3. Initiate a full, impartial and independent investigation of the attacks and make the result of this investigation public.

4. Bring to justice all perpetrators of the attacks regardless of their position in society or in any political party.

5. Provide compensation to victims of the attacks.

7. Take appropriate disciplinary or criminal action against any police personnel who have failed to ensure the protection of members of the Hindu community.

Please call immediately:

The local Sp and officer in charge seemed cool to find out the perpetrators. They are engineering to turn to case as there are conflicts inside of the Hindu community.

To ensure the security of the local Hindus of that area:

I G police: Mobile :01713373000
SP Gopalgonj ,Mobile : 01713373569
OC Gopalgonj., Moibile:01713373572
Investigative officer: 01712030480

Please call the local Hindu leaders that you are concerned about the alarming situations :

1.Prof.Subdeb ,Mobile : 01710929358

2.Sadan Biswas ,Mobile : 01734757810

Please raise your voice against the minority repression in Bangladesh. Please take some time to help the minorities on this case, call local and concerned authorities.

Happy Dipabali

2008-10-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

A Bleak Future for Bangladesh Hindu's

2008-09-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

February 2000
SOCIAL CHANGE

A Bleak Future for Bangladesh Hindu's

In the last fifty years, more than ten million of the country's Hindu's have fled to India in the face of sustained persecution and periodic riots

With its poverty and frequent cyclones, Bangladesh is major news each year. But the unfolding fate of Hindus in the country rarely makes headlines. The numbers tell the story. In 1872, 53% of the people in what is now Bangladesh were Hindus. In 1900, it was 32.7%, and by 1947, 22%. Today it has dropped to 10%. Conceivably, by 2050 Bangladesh will have achieved the status of Pakistan: no significant Hindu population. Ishani Chowdhury, a New York university student, was commissioned by Hinduism Today to report on one of the most heartless persecutions and forced migrations of modern times. Be advised, this is a gut-wrenching story of a people systematically hounded out of their ancestral land because of their religion, a story largely ignored by the world.

My mother saw with her own eyes trainloads of Hindus crossing over to Bihar, the state in which she lived. They were part of the ten million that fled to India from Bangladesh during the 1971 revolt. Their arms were slashed so they would not be able to work, their eyes were gouged out, breasts of women were severed, on their chests the words "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long Live Pakistan") were branded with a hot iron rod. People went insane from all the horrors they had seen and experienced.

One day a Hindu refugee had managed to come to my mother's house in hopes of finding shelter. She had not eaten in days, was dirty, her simple cotton sari ripped, her hair disheveled, her shoeless feet bleeding from the long journey. There was a look of hopelessness and fear in her eyes, like something was haunting her or about to attack her. All she could say was, "Save me! Save me! They are going to come after me! Save me!"

Days later, when she regained her senses, Laxmi Rani told her tale. Her father and her husband were respected doctors in their community. One day her husband went to the local pond but never returned. They found his dead body floating in the water. A while later, when she was feeding her small child, local Muslims stormed into the house and snatched her child from her arms. She pleaded with them as she followed them outside. The child was taken to a bonfire and tossed in. It was not an isolated incident, she said. Across the country, Hindu men were being indiscriminately butchered and the women grabbed and taken away by force. Little children were made to eat beef and forcibly converted to Islam. Somehow, Laxmi Rani managed to escape and boarded a train headed for India. Our family sheltered her and later took her to the refugee camp at the local temple. My mother related many such heart-wrenching stories.

The first great outflow of Hindus from Bangladesh occurred at Independence in 1947 with the creation of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then known) on opposite sides of the Indian subcontinent. Among those fleeing were most of the Hindus in the British administrative services. Their posts were filled by West Pakistanis with little respect for the local Bengali people of East Pakistan, who did not speak the Urdu language used in the West. It was the beginning of a hostile relationship that would culminate in the 1971 revolt in which Bangladesh, with India's help, broke with West Pakistan and became an independent nation. West Pakistan sent troops to quell the rebellious territory, believing the unrest to be the result of "a few intellectuals." West Pakistan President Khan predicted, "A few thousand dead in Dhaka, and East Pakistan will be quiet soon."

For nine months the West Pakistan army tried to secure the area by the most brutal means. Possibly three million people, mostly Hindus, died; and ten million Hindus and many Muslims fled to India. Finally, in December, 1971, India, unable to ignore the flood of refugees across her borders, intervened and defeated the West Pakistan army in a matter of days. Bangladesh, shattered by war and with much of its educated class dead, became the world's 139th country.

Two incidents from 1971 will help to convey the war's terror. According to the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, an organization which monitors the condition of minorities in Bangladesh, on June 13, 1971, 400 Hindus were loaded into a train that they believed would take them to India. Instead, they were taken to Syedpur where all were murdered by Pakistan army personnel. In the second incident, the Pakistan army attacked the Dhaka University, raping girls and killing at least 500 students, as well as many faculty. Similar killings and rapes took place across the country. Time magazine reported on August 2, 1971, "The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred."

While the 1971 war impacted all Bangladeshis, pogroms against Hindus have occurred time and again in the country's history. For example, 50,000 Hindus in and around Dhaka were killed in 1964 when a holy relic was stolen from a mosque in Kashmir--compare this to a few thousand deaths in East Timor or Bosnia. After the 1975 assassination of President Sheik Mujibar Rahman by military coup, the constitution was, in phases, amended to make Islam the state religion of Bangladesh. In celebration, Muslim radicals attacked Hindus. India noticed, once again, an exodus of refugees at her borders. Following the destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992 by Hindu militants, dozens of Hindus were killed in riots across Bangladesh and approximately 3,000 temples were damaged or destroyed. Who can imagine 3,000 American churches destroyed within days? "There were riots in East Pakistan almost every year, and severe killings in 1944, 1947, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1960 and 1963," states SK Bhattacharyya in Genocide in East Pakistan/Bangladesh.

Added to the long list of mass attacks is the daily harassment of Hindus. The Dhaka newspaper Sangabad reported on September 24, 1989, the story of Mrs. Birajabala Debnath of Nidarabad. She became a widow after her husband was murdered because he refused to give up his land to his Muslim neighbor. Then she and her five children were abducted in the middle of the night and murdered.

At New York's Bangladeshi Hindu Mandir (www.hindumandir.nu), nearly everyone has a somber tale to tell. This simple building has provided a safe haven of peace and prayer to the Hindus who managed to escape the ravages of Bangladesh. The weekly temple program I visited draws hundreds and is enlivened with the sounds of kirtan, Gita classes and tabla lessons. However, a sudden silence befalls the crowd when the topic turns to their native land. "We are all refugees. We cannot be Hindus there. They kill us whenever they get the chance. And the police do not do anything. Remember Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall?"

Mr. Shankar Das goes on to detail Amnesty International's 1996 report (www. amnesty.org/ailib/aipub/1996/ASA/31300496.htm) which stated nearly 700 law enforcement personnel raided the University's only Hindu hall in 1996, firing teargas, stealing valuables and raping and beating students. The raid, which lasted three hours, saw many deaths and injuries. "What can you do when even the law is against you?" As he fights back his tears, these once joyous temple devotees hang their heads in hopelessness. "We are lucky we are here where we can pray in peace. That is not possible in Bangladesh. The historic Ramna Kali Bari Temple in Dhaka, hundreds of years old, was destroyed. President Sheik Rahman further leveled the area. If you go there now, all you will see is a park".

Ratan Dasgupta told me, "Harassment of womenfolk is all too common in Bangladesh. We are persecuted. That is why we have come here. Living there is impossible. Nearly ten years ago my cousin's sister was abducted from our house by a group of 25 neighborhood boys. They came with sticks and started breaking everything in the house. We were too afraid to do anything. Then they demanded my cousin. My uncle was hit when he tried to stop them. They grabbed her and took her away. God only knows what happened to her. Since she was very pretty, they either forced her to marry some Muslim boy or sold her to a brothel."

"Violence is random and without cause," a man from Montreal told me. "A Hindu woman will be taunted in public, her sari tugged at, her hand grabbed, all this in her husband's presence. And what will the police do when a complaint is received? Either dismiss it or join in the action." "If there is a fight between two Muslims, somehow they will resolve it," he went on, "but to vent the anger, they will go to a Hindu home and just start throwing rocks at the window."

In the midst of this crowd sits a small elderly woman in a simple white sari, her tear-filled eyes beckoning me. In a trembling voice she says, "I am an old woman. I have seen many things in my lifetime. In my village, we cannot hold Durga puja [see page 24]. Every year they come and destroy the deity. The temple was smeared with cow's blood and urinated upon. The pujari was beaten and his house set on fire. We were told to stop doing puja. Everywhere around us people were screaming and crying. I lost my husband there. Even though my son has managed to bring us here, I worry about home. No one is safe there."

Muslims who protest the situation around them do so at great peril. Taslima Nasrin, spurred by the horror of atrocities against Hindus from 1990-92, wrote a novel, Lajja ("Shame"). Her act brought her a fatwa (death sentence, the same as meted out to Salman Rushdie) by Islamic extremists and has forced her to go into hiding in Europe.

There have been legal assaults against the Hindus as well, most especially the Vested Property Act, formerly called the "Enemy Property Act." It allows for the lands of a person who has fled the country to be seized and redistributed. The US State Department said in its 1997 Human Rights report, "Many Hindus lost landholdings because of anti-Hindu discrimination in the application of the law." Millions of acres have been so confiscated.

Resident Hindus who try to sell their homes will often get no more than 50 percent of the market price, according to the man from Montreal. "Sometimes a fake deed will be used to claim his land," he said. "And most of the time, the Hindus lose the case in court despite all the evidence."

"In front of your eyes, you will see madrasas (Islamic schools) being built," I was told, "while the remaining Hindu centers are closing down. There is no pujari (priest) to teach, and whoever is there is afraid for their life. The remnants of our past are being lost, our new generation will not know anything about our religion or history."

Five decades of harassment in Bangladesh is exacerbated by the world's capacity to ignore the situation. As massive and horrific as the happenings are, you never see this on CNN or in Newsweek. The three-page 1999 US State Department report on International Religious Freedom in Bangladesh does detail discrimination against Hindus, but in only one sentence: "Intercommunal violence reportedly has caused some members of religious minorities to depart the country, primarily Hindus emigrating to India where many have relatives." In such casual terms is written off one of the greatest forced human migrations of the 20th century, involving more than ten million people. Other reports regard the expulsion of Bangladeshi Hindus as a "done deed," and don't even list them as refugees any more, but as "resettled."

State Department reports on religious freedom have been criticized for being concerned only with Christians, who are few in Bangladesh (hence its three-page report). India, on the other hand, got a ten-page report, with five pages devoted to alleged discrimination against Christians (resulting in three deaths); just three paragraphs deal with Muslim attacks against Hindus in Kashmir (resulting in 139 deaths). The word Kashmir occurs nine times, Christian 90 times; and there is nothing on the millions of Bangladesh Hindus now living in India.

Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheik Hasina, said in New York recently that Bangladesh Hindus "have one foot in India, and the other in Bangladesh" and asked, given this divided loyalty, what they should expect and how much the local Muslims will listen to her government. And she is considered "pro-Indian" in Bangladesh.

Despite the discounting of atrocities, Bangladeshi Hindus in America cannot easily forget. While the second generation of Bangladeshi Hindus in America may take for granted the simple act of performing anjali (flower offering), parents are quick to remind them of the privilege of being able to worship in peace. "It's not just prayer. It's at every level. In Bangladesh, if you are not a Muslim, then you cannot get a job. They will not let you get admission to good colleges. Our children must know this. It's their homeland. What we have not been able to do, they must carry out," remarks Mrs. Dey.

As the evening program draws to a close in New York, Mrs. Sen's tear-choked words darken the once joyous atmosphere. "Everyone is against us. Other Hindus don't help us. We cannot do anything. If we speak out, our family members back home will be tortured if word spreads. But we have to take a chance, this cannot go on forever. How much longer do we have to hide?".

Contacts: Hindu, Boudhwa and Christian Oikya Parisad: Dr. Nim Chandra Bhoumick, Secretary, c/o Department of Physics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

HinduismToday

Minority Persecution Continues unabated

2008-09-12T02:33:00.000-07:00

Bicharer Vani Nirabe Nivrite Kande

Minority Persecution Continues unabated
-Ajoy Roy

I thought that I would not write any more stories under the heading, Bicharer Vani Nirabe Nivrite Kande � ..� Honestly speaking I am fed up with what is happening in Bangladesh as regards persecution on minorities in general on Hindus in particular. I started the series some time in 1973 when a Hindu widow was killed and cut to pieces and then put in drums with lime and then sealed by a local notorious man. This he did for shear greed of grabbing the widows
property.

Even under the caretaker government, backed by arm, of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed continues unabated. The culprits, miscreants, supported by local political touts and mastans, who often exert influence on police and civil administration.

A minority village in Ps Kalikair, district Gazipur ransacked

Recently a terrible incident took place in the village named Sahebabad within the police station of Kalikair in the district of Gazipur. In this village a large number minority families mostly of Hindu community are living peacefully from generation to generation. The peace and tranquility however interrupted occasionally. As in other parts of the country this village also experienced the fall out of infamous October election 2001 in which the BNP won. The price of wining of the election by BNP and its allies had to bear the Hindus and other minority communities including indigenous people. Since then persecution on minorities is continuing unhindered? Their properties grabbed forcibly, evicted from their abodes.

In the village of Sahebabd the poor helpless Hindu families once again witnessed the terrible and shocking atrocities let loose by the local armed miscreants. On September 1, 2008 a group of armed antisocial and miscreants raided ransacking the village, forcibly evicted Hindus from their homes, and injured many in the process. The hooligans supported by the political touts not only looted the valuables of the household properties, but told the families that being Hindus they have no right to live in Moslem Bangladesh. The goondas and terrorists threatened the Hindu villagers to leave the country for India within three days. If they fail, a dire consequence awaits them.

Since then villagers are living in panic. Most of the young girls have taken refugee in unknown shelters for fear of being lifted followed by enmass raping. Many families too left the village to safer place. But is there any safe place for minorities anywhere in Bangladesh?

Till today no police arrived in the scene. They are probably searching through the maps with magnifying glass to locate `where the bloody Sahebabad village is? Ekushe TV covered the incident of September 1 as part 1 which they will serialize. After the incident came to the media, our civil administration of the locality awake from the deep sleep, when the TNO, Mr. Motahar Hosian, of Ps Kaliakair visited the affected village today (9. 09. 08). He talked to some family members of the affected victims and assured them of their security of life & property, the usual console emitted by the bureaucrats. He further told the local press that he would right now talk to the police authority of the locality for security of the villagers with the assurance that terrorists would be rounded up 'very soon'. We are very much accustomed hear such assurance of 'very soon'.

In the mean while the sufferers suffer, lament and wait for the justice that never to be found and remains as illusive as ever before the very eyes of the culprits. We too lament remembering Tagore�s immortal sayings,

" Bichrer Vani Nirabe Nivrite Kande"

This time the 'nivrita people' are the unfortunate Hindu minorities of an unknown village called Sahebabad. The big question mark is will the fleeing people ever come back to their ancestral homes. Who knows ? Who cares for them ?

09. 09. 08
Mukto-Mona.com

Non-Muslim Minorities in Bangladesh: Victim of Bloody Religious Persecution

2008-08-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

by Dr Radhasyam Brahmachari

30 May, 2008

At last the Department of State of the Government of USA has admitted through a circular issued on September 14, 2007, that the religious minorities, e.g. the Christians, Buddhists and the Hindus, are being persecuted brutally in Bangladesh by the Muslims. According to a press report appeared in the 17th September edition of the Kolkata based Bengali daily Bartaman, the circular says that the entire non-Muslim population, belonging to religious communities of Hinduism, Buddhism etc are victims of violent religious discrimination and torture by the Muslims, the majority religious group. The circular also says that, though Dhaka speaks of religious tolerance and freedom of religion, the attack on religious minorities has recently assumed a extremely savage and fierce. These unfortunate people are targeted for all kinds brutal and barbaric atrocities.

The report says that, as a result of this inhuman religious discrimination, minorities are losing their lives and properties. After the formation of independent Bangladesh in 1971, the Government grabbed Hindu land with the help of the so called “Vested Property Act”. Though the said black Act was repealed later on, the minorities did not get back their land snatched away by the Government. By a verdict in 2001, the Bangladeshi Supreme Court had directed the government to return the land, grabbed with the help of the said black Act, to the real owner. In spite of that, few Hindus could get back their land. According to a Professor of the University of Dhaka, nearly 2 million Hindu families have, so far, lost about 40,000 acres of agricultural fertile land. Many are convinced that this is only a tiny tip of an iceberg. In fact, land grabbing is a enshrined policy of jihad against the kafirs as ordained by Allah in Koran. Prophet Mohammad had taught this lesson in his life time by driving away the Jews of Medina, belonging to the Beni Nazir and Beni Kanuika clan and slaughtering the Jews of Beni Koreiza en-masse and acquiring their land and property.

It is difficult for an ordinary individual to guess the social condition of non-Muslim kafirs in an Islamic State. Koran does not consider these kafirs as human beings. Allah has condemned them as godless beasts and has empowered the Muslims to heap any kind of atrocity and torture on them. Not only that, he is alluring such oppressors of rewards in the Paradise. So, an Islamic court in an Islamic Country does not consider such atrocities even a crime at all. And the reality is that, in such a country, judiciary is heavily influenced by the religion of Islam and cannot play neutral in giving verdicts.

That is why the US circular has said that in Bangladesh, the government and its machineries are heavily influenced by religion and hence they cannot do much to stop all such religious discriminations. Not to speak of Hindus and Buddhists, even the Ahmadiyas, a sect of Islam, have declared non-Muslims and turning victims of similar religious discriminations.

The author is a Professor in the Department of Applied Physics, University of Calcutta

Source: islam-watch.org

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------------- Comments on this topic -------------

Name:
Date: Friday May 30, 2008
Time: 10:54:44 -0700

Comment
Muslims love to dominate but hate being dominated. Long live Israel

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Name: Pixi
Date: Friday May 30, 2008
Time: 18:04:06 -0700

Comment
Does anybody else remember late lamented Beatle, George Harrison's concert for Bangladesh during the early 70's after the invasion , rape and pillage by the Muslim West Pakistani's. Not a harsh word by George or anyone else involved in this typical celebrity ego trip of the wonderful religion of peace, Islam. George later went on to finance everyone's favourite cult movie, The Life of Brien. Let us all hope that if there is a true and living God somewhere poor George is having some explaining to do.

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Name: Ananda
Date: Friday May 30, 2008
Time: 19:28:05 -0700

Comment
I know Bangladesh, one of the worst countries on Earth. And it is rapidly going to hell, where all of us want it to go. Delhi and Kolkata are filled with sweepers and sewage cleaners from Bangladeshi "Refugees" with Hindu names. We know they are Muslims, but tolerate them because no one will work at their wages. That is a very big mistake. It is like feeding Cobras and we will regret it for sure.

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Name: vbv
Date: Friday May 30, 2008
Time: 21:06:59 -0700

Comment
Islam is a filthy cult. Some of my comments were displayed becuase it spoke the TRUTH about islam , its mad criminal founder and its madder followers. Situation in Pakistan and Bangladesh warrents such comments , let alone other deranged islam countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran ,Somalia ,Egypt ,etc.Pakistan and Bangladesh were all a part of India and their ancestors were all hindus/budhists/jains and now see what islam has done to them - turned them into 'beasts' ,zombies bitten by the rabbid cult of 'islam' that they have forgotten the civilisation and culture of their ancestors to become slaves of Arabic savagery and Barbarism. These muslims are like bitten by the rabid dog that they are blind to reason , good sense and decency! Pakistan and Bangladesh are examples of what an evil cult can do to otherwise intelligent and sensible people!

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Name: israel and its pig jews r the root of islam down with judeo christianity islam,jews christians muslims need to be rescued from this blood thirsty fake religion
Date: Friday May 30, 2008
Time: 23:35:39 -0700

Comment
israel and its pig jews r the root of islam down with judeo christianity islam,jews christians muslims need to be rescued from this blood thirsty fake religion,which is destroying mankind....jews make false claim they r superior to all others bcoz they r chosen people of imaginary desert arab deity jehova/allah,and christ goes 1 step ahead and makes false claim and says he is the only way to salvation and mulsims the followers of jews/christians make more false claims that only their fake-imaginary deity/allah is to be believer s and muhamed is the only and last guy to get messages,so it point to the fact the the disease of islam is cuased by the irus of judaism,and its duty of world to rescue the jews christians muslims from this fake superiority cult else nuke world war 3 is coming.WAKE UP FALSEHOOD BELIEVER JEWS CHRISTIANS MULSIM,SEE THE TRUTH AND SAVE YRSELF AND HUMANITY FROM YR FAKE BLOOD THIRSTY DEITY JEHOVA/ALLAH AND SAVE WORLD FROM WORLD WAR 3 NUKE WAR.

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Name: India is bleeding..Psychofnt and Psuedo secular leaders must be hanged for this.
Date: Saturday May 31, 2008
Time: 02:38:15 -0700

Comment
India is bleeding..Psychofnt and Psuedo secular leaders must be hanged for this.Chemchagiri newspaper of india(Times) which is agent of foreign culture and islamists recently wrote an editorial article in favour of bangladeshi infiltrators of Jaipur saying that they should not be sent back.It says they are monorities and sending them back may evoke voilence.Means india should suffer from bombings and security threats besides loosing our jobs and resources.Can any patriotic News papper nay where in the world say like this.They are basterds who are born to bitchs fucked by islamists and act against india and write in favour of infiltrators from bangladesh and pakistan for news paper business.There is big discussion in south india about the attitude of That banana News paper(times)

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Name: Philip Saenz
Date: Sunday June 01, 2008
Time: 05:57:11 -0700

Comment
Since the Muslim Qur'an teaches that Christians and Jews are "pigs and apes," and since it teaches all sorts of brutalities against Christians and Jews, why should we not refer to the Qur'an as a filthy and brutal book? From now on, I will refer to the filthy, and brutal Qur'an as the filthy, brutal Qur'an. Thank you.

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Name: letholdus
Date: Sunday June 01, 2008
Time: 12:04:07 -0700

Comment
The only way to end this and save the west is to kill every last muslim on the planet. We can do this today or tomorrow but it will have to be done. Our leaders are governed by their adolescent desire to be "popular". Liberty always brings out the best in mankind but we must have the courage to defend it when it is under assault. It is time to replace the cowards who pretend to be our leaders.

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Name: DH
Date: Monday June 02, 2008
Time: 08:10:35 -0700

Comment
The Serbs of Bosnia and Kosovo knew what would befall them if they meekly accepted the west's plan for them of becoming minorities in Muslim majority states. They had had 500 yrs under the bastards after all.So they got theirs in first and were subjected to one of the most vicious demonization campaigns in history by our wester "Free Press" who are only ever interested in situations where Muslims can be presented as poor wittle innocent victims!

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Name: Jagmohan Singh Khurmi
Date: Tuesday June 03, 2008
Time: 14:14:38 -0700

Comment
Some people have tried to assert that the anti-hindu genocides in Bangladesh are result of Babri Masjid demolation. This is not true. At most Babri can be called an excuse, nothing more - far intense persection have occured there ( for instance in 1971 ) when no Babri was demolished ! No. They are being killed because they are hindus

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Name: Jagmohan Singh Khurmi
Date: Tuesday June 03, 2008
Time: 14:19:46 -0700

Comment
Bangladeshis who want to settle in India should first convert to hinduism

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Name: Aloh
Date: Wednesday June 04, 2008
Time: 06:39:05 -0700

Comment
LONG LIVE ISRAEL!!!

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Name: Alohuakbarbarian
Date: Wednesday June 04, 2008
Time: 07:10:11 -0700

Comment
Hey you all the atheists and western journalists who are dumb and foolish enough to under estimate ISLAM, welcome to hellist islam world, and we will serve you with your own internal organs and chopped head hahahahaha.... Please mock other religions but not ours, because we are friendly to you after you convert to ISLAM or you know hahahah... Please you fool dumb head atheists come to your mama MO...

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Name: Devi,Madhurai.
Date: Wednesday June 04, 2008
Time: 18:11:54 -0700

Comment
All totalitarian isms have died a natural death, but after taking lots of lives. Nazim, Communism and of course the search light is on Islam/ism. Islam survived because it was an ism coated with religion. So whenever somebody attacks them "Freedom of religion, racism, minority oppression, human rights" comes to suface. There should be UN for Kufrs to dictate new meanings for religion, human rights to fight physically and psychologically these backward countries. Internet is playing a great role, but is largely unorganised.

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Name: YOU FILTHY , DIRTY RATS !!
Date: Thursday June 05, 2008
Time: 13:29:23 -0700

Comment
Cow Dung worship I assure you read that title right, this is exactly what the ladies of the house in DH’s community do the morning after Diwali to ensure wealth and prosperity in the household for the year to come. Since I had no idea how things worked I let my sister in law do the preparation, which actually meant using fresh cow dung to draw a symbolic representation of a village complete with 3D little cow dung people (all this made with bare hands and on the ground in the court yard). I myself took the less smelly job of putting various types of lentils and grains in designated area on the pattern to mimic granaries and mangers. We then went back to the kitchen to make little birds out of rice floor dough for the female only ritual. Once MIL was ready we headed back outside, lit oil lamps in the dung village, and had our feet painted with some magenta tainted water and proceed to bless the village with the usual water sprinkling, grain throwing and red powder applying all the various elements and then conclude by eating one of the rice flour birds each before call it quit and head to the kitchen for breakfast. While the whole ritual may sound gross (after all this is cow dung we are talking about). What fascinates me is how Hinduism has remained an earthy religion close to its people and the farming roots of India, with all the rural symbols and wish of prosperity linked to grain, food and by default wealth. And somehow it is not so odd that the Goddess of wealth is a woman, and that the rituals closely associated to fertile matters are conducted by the women of the household using earth symbols, which are by default symbols of life and fertility as well (the men have another ritual the next day involving fire). The rest of the day is generally spent lazing around as everything is anyway closed. That part was actually tougher on me than being around smelly dung and a swarm of flies.

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Name:
Date: Sunday June 08, 2008
Time: 01:59:38 -0700

Comment
Those whom you call cow dung worshippers have scriptures which are far better than the quran. Their scripture calls for tolerance not murder and intimidation. They are far closer to the truth than islam. The upanishads of the hindus are very intellectual and humane. They are not blind fanatics as islam urges its followers to be. That is why they are more prosperous than backward islamic societies. To pass judgement on them you have to read their scriptures. But that is something you have not done. Try reading Deepak Chopra. Islams fanatics have a closed mind and only read the quran and that too blindly. The quran is a book full of contradictions. THere is no logical consistency to that book. Some verses ask the followers to show mercy, others to murder and rape. Scientifically there are so many contradictions reagrding mankinds origins, the shape of the earth etc. it is laughable. All this would have not been so harmful if not for the fact that those who criticise are intimidated, persecuted, tortured and killed. This is evil. No doubt in my mind.

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Name: Hari Padmanabhan
Date: Sunday June 08, 2008
Time: 12:04:36 -0700

Comment
Islam is a VILE FILTHY FIENDISHLY EVIL doctrine. The Quran has verses calling for the murder and rape of non-Muslims. THIS IS A FACT. PLEASE READ THE QURAN. Destroy islam, BURN the quran and slaughter each and every Muhammadan Muslim on the face of this Earth.

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Name:
Date: Tuesday June 10, 2008
Time: 04:00:03 -0700

Comment

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Name: please avoid these filthy bastards.
Date: Tuesday June 10, 2008
Time: 12:42:39 -0700

Comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojIzkNa5tMM

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Name:
Date: Monday June 16, 2008
Time: 02:09:58 -0700

Comment
Gandhi wanted a united India but noooo these Muslims must have their own country. The formation of Pakistan and Bangladesh caused suffering to millions, but sixty years on Pakistan and Bangladesh are hopeless backward countries and India is an emerging world power. Aren't they glad they got rid of all those Muslims.

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Name: wondering
Date: Tuesday June 17, 2008
Time: 08:51:44 -0700

Comment
Muslims in bangladesh is the Lowest categories of Islam. They are most violent. The carved out Bnagladesh from India as Islamic country. But They are now migrating to India. They are all converts from low caste Hindus.. They should re- convert themself to their original faith. If they wanted to stick to Islam, they should only parctice Arabian culture and should speak Arabic ...not Bengali. Banagladeshi Muslim ..Most wonderful specis in they earth..Left the hindu faith but coudn't left Bengali tounge. !!!!. This may heart many ... this is reality..

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Name: RAJ, HYDRABAD
Date: Thursday July 03, 2008
Time: 11:43:33 -0700

Comment
HINDUS FORMED BANGLADESH, BUT THOSE ARE NOT FIT TO BE HUMAN BEINGS. THOSE ARE CROSS BREED OF PIGS AND DONKEYS. THE COMMUNISTS OF EAST BENGAL SHALL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THEY SUCKERS OF MUSLIMS. NOW IN INDIA ALL PARTIES, CONGRESS,SMAJWADI,BSP, TDP,TRS,COMMUNISTS IN PARTICULAR ALL SUCKING MUSLIMS ONE AFTER THE OTHER TO SATIFY THEM AND DYING FOR THIER VOTES. THESE ARE REAL BASTERDS.

Religious Minorities in Bangladesh:

2008-08-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Victim of Bloody Religious Persecution

By Dr Radhasyam Brahmachari*

At last the Department of State of the Government of USA has admitted through a circular issued on September 14, 2007, that the religious minorities, e.g. the Christians, Buddhists and the Hindus, are being persecuted brutally in Bangladesh by the Muslims. According to a press report appeared in the 17th September edition of the Kolkata based Bengali daily Bartaman, the circular says that the entire non-Muslim population, belonging to religious communities of Hinduism, Buddhism etc are victims of violent religious discrimition and torture by the Muslims, the majority religious group. The circular also says that, though Dhaka speaks of religious tolerance and freedom of religion, the attack on religious minorities has recently assumed a extremely savage and fierce. These unfortunate people are targeted for all kinds brutal and barbaric atrocities.

The report says that, as a result of this inhuman religious discrimination, minorities are losing their lives and properties. After the formation of independent Bangladesh in 1971, the Government grabbed Hindu land with the help of the so called “Vested Property Act”. Though the said black Act was repealed later on, the minorities did not get back their land snatched away by the Government. By a verdict in 2001, the Bangladeshi Supreme Court had directed the government to return the land, grabbed with the help of the said black Act, to the real owner. In spite of that, few Hindus could get back their land. According to a Professor of the University of Dhaka, nearly 2 million Hindu families have, so far, lost about 40,000 acres of agricultural fertile land. Many are convinced that this is only a tiny tip of an iceberg. In fact, land grabbing is a enshrined policy of jihad against the kafirs as ordained by Allah in Koran. Prophet Mohammad had taught this lesson in his life time by driving away the Jews of Medina, belonging to the Beni Nazir and Beni Kanuika clan and slaughtering the Jews of Beni Koreiza en-masse and acquiring their land and property.

It is difficult for an ordinary individual to guess the social condition of non-Muslim kafirs in an Islamic State. Koran does not consider these kafirs as human beings. Allah has condemned them as godless beasts and has empowered the Muslims to heap any kind of atrocity and torture on them. Not only that, he is alluring such oppressors of rewards in the Paradise. So, an Islamic court in an Islamic Country does not consider such atrocities even a crime at all. And the reality is that, in such a country, judiciary is heavily influenced by the religion of Islam and cannot play neutral in giving verdicts.

That is why the US circular has said that in Bangladesh, the government and its machineries are heavily influenced by religion and hence they cannot do much to stop all such religious discriminations. Not to speak of Hindus and Buddhists, even the Ahmedias, a sect of Islam, have declared non-Muslims and turning victims of similar religious discriminations.

***************

*Professor, Department of Applied Physics, University of Calcutta.

Pakistan Genocide in Bangladesh

2008-08-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

A couple estimates of the Hindu death toll
Pakistan Genocide in Bangladesh - Estimates, Sources and Calculations

Click here to download the picture file

Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

2008-08-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

Sen. Edward Kennedy on the Hindu Genocide in East Bengal '71

The Bangladesh genocide of 1971 was basically directed at 3 sets of people: The Awami League was one target, along with leftist students, and then came the main target, the Hindus. they mostly got who they were targeting, especially the Hindu community of Bangladesh.

The Pakistani strategy is evident from the following Sunday Times dispatch on (6/13/71).

"The Government's policy for East Bengal was spelled out to me in the Eastern Command headquarters at Dacca. It has three elements:

The Bengalis have proved themselves unreliable and must be ruled by West Pakistanis;

The Bengalis will have to be re-educated along proper Islamic lines. The - Islamization of the masses - this is the official jargon - is intended to eliminate secessionist tendencies and provide a strong religious bond with West Pakistan;

When the Hindus have been eliminated by death and fight, their property will be used as a golden carrot to win over the under privi! leged Muslim middle-class. This will provide the base for erecting administrative and political structures in the future."

The terrible events of 1971 were recorded by Senator Edward Kennedy, and compiled in a report to the U.S Senate entitled Crisis in South Asia. Kennedy described the refugee situation in India:

"A traveler today in eastern India cannot help but see, smell, and feel this misery. It is etched in the faces and lives of refugees in countless ways. It is the malnourished child hanging limply in its mother's arms - one child out of a half million who, in a matter of hours or days, can easily die from the lack of protein and adequate medical care. It is a young girl, quivering in a refugee camp in Tripura, still in a shock after seeing her mother and father slaughtered by Pakistani troops. It is a 14-year-old boy in Jalpaiguri hospital, whose face is contorted from the pain and anguish that he has experienced since he saw his family shot b! efore his eyes and since he received a bullet wound in his spine which has paralyzed him for life. And it is the expression of hundreds of thousands of refugees living in sewer pipes on the outskirts of Calcutta, while overworked relief officials struggle to provide some food and shelter and hope for a needy and hopeless people.

To drive the roads of West Bengal is to tour a huge refugee camp. For miles along the old Jessore road north of Calcutta toward the border of East Bengal, literally millions of people sit huddled together waithing for food, or line up in endless queues for refugee registration cards, or simply encamp on the roadside under hastily constructed lean-tos. And each day their number continues to grow.

A. THE REFUGEE FLOW

The continuing flow of refugees into India is without parallel in modern history. In less than 200 days-from April 1 to mid-October-more people have found it necessary to flee their homes and lands in East Bengal than the total ! number of refugees generated by the IndoChina war, or the millions displaced by the natural disasters which have struck East Bengal over the past decade. In this short period, 9,544,012 refugees have been officially recorded as having crossed into India, and additional hundreds of thousands have been uprooted and victimized within East Bengal.

Since March 25th a constant stream-sometimes a flood-of refugees has crossed each day into India. The average daily influx of new refugees, according to official reports, has been 48,000-with peak periods in May and June exceeding well over 100,000 new arrivals each day. In May alone, for example, a total of 2,820,922 new refugees were registered by Indian officials." (5)

So at least 9.5 million refugees had come in from East Bengal. Who were they?

"To avoid communal (religious) clashes, the government, where possible, has tried to keep Hindus and Muslims in seperate camps, the camps being sited in corresponding communal are! as of India. Reflecting the communal representation of the refugees generally, an approximate grouping in many camps, however, is 80 percent Hindu, 15 percent Muslim, and 5 percent Christian and other." (19)

Kennedy describes the conditions of the camps and the urgent needs of the camp.

"Most of the refugees, however, are poorly educated villagers - the people who make up the bulk of the population in East Bengal. We talked to with dozens of such people on the Boyra-Bongaon Road north of Calcutta, on a day when at least 7,000 new refugees had crossed the border. Nearly all were farmers. Most were Hindus, from districts south of Dacca, on the fringe of the area affected by last fall's cyclone. Many of these people are still in visible stages of shock, sitting listlessly by the roadside or wandering aimlessly. They told stories of atrocities, of slaughter, of looting and burning, of harrassment and abuse by Pakistani soldiers and their collaborators. Monsoon rains w! ere drenching the area, making it difficult for the refugees to walk and adding to the despair on their faces. To those of us who went out that day to visit refugee areas, the rains meant no more than a change of clothes. But to those refugees it meant still another night without rest, food, or shelter.

It is difficult to erase from our minds the look on the face of a child paralyzed from the waist down, never to walk again; or a child quivering in fear on a mat in a small tent still in shock from seeing his parents, his brothers, and his sisters executed before his eyes; or the anxiety of a 10-year old girl out foraging for something to cover the body of her baby brother who had died of cholera a few moments before our arrival. When I asked one refugee camp director what he would describe as his greatest need, his answer was "a crematorium." He was in charge of one of the largest refugee camps in the world. A camp which was originally designed to provide low-income and middle-income housing for Indians, but has now become the home for some 170,000 refugees." (VII)

The lack of crematoriums for the Hindu refugees who were dying lead to more insanity:

"The disposal of dead bodies has posed a serious sanitation problem. In the Hindu community it is customary for the dead to be cremated, but under the circumstances-including a lack of fuel and crematoriums-this has been almost impossible. In some camps local health authorities regularly remove bodies. In others, however, the disposing of bodies is left in the hands of the families involved...bodies are simply left to decompose in a ditch along the road or at the edges of the camps." (17)

Kennedy describes the terror the Pakistani army inflicted on Bangladesh's Hindu along with their targeting of the Awami League:

"As the Pakistan army moved out into the countryside to "crush the Awami League," all evidence-including the simple fact that the bulk of the refugees ! in India are Hindu-suggest this objective was coupled with a policy of terror directed primarily at the minority Hindu population. The following eyewitness field account-filed with the Subcommitte in August and repeated again and again in the Subcommitte files-graphically describes the plight of Hindus in recent months.

***THe next village where we stopped was Mirakati in Barisal district. Our guide, a Hindu, showed us his house, a mound of burned out rubbish from which nothing could be saved. Everything had been burnt to the ground. Every other house in the village was burned out. When we arrived in this village there were no signs of life. However, after a time our guide made signals to a very frightened women who then emerged. She told us that she had seen her husband and child killed and that she is now left alone with one remaining child. Eight days ago the army had came aking her for 100 rupees as payment so that they would leave her alone and unharrassed.

At this ! village there was a brick and cement school that was still standing but everything inside had been burned out. There are supposedly a hundred survivors from this village who are hiding out in the surrounding villages and who are afraid to come out lest they be caught, or shot, or suffer other reprisals.

Village after village we passed was totally in ruins. Sometimes a frame of a house could be seen and at other times every thing was burned to the ground. One of the villages that we passsed was known by the name of Jagadishpur. One of our mission had visited this village previously just after the army's reign of terror. In one of the tanks of ponds he counted about 100 heads of persons who had been killed and whose bodies were thrown into the tank.

***Of the 36 Hindu villages in the area we visited, they estimated that the maximum number of former inhabitants who have still remained in the area, even though they may be in hiding, would not go beyond 20% to 25%...At peresent ! it is the Muslims who are working the Hindu-owned lands. But everywhere we went on the trip the rice fields were unattended. The only exceptions were these Muslims farming Hindu land. In one village, the original population was about 1,500, of which 100 were killed, 100 remain in hiding in the surrounding area, and the rest have fled.

In some areas, according to eyewitness reports in the late summer, Pakistan troops were painting large yellow "H" signs on Hindu shops, so as to identify the property of the minority which had become a special target. To show they were not Hindus, members of the Muslim majority-although not fully exempt from the army's terror-were painting sign saying "All Muslim House" on their homes and shops. In turn the small community of Christians were putting crosses on their doors and stitching crosses in red thread on their clothes. Not since Nazi Germany were so many citizens of a country publicly marked with religious labels and symbols.

To do! cument further the mark put on Hindus, additional reports to the Subcommittee have stated that the bank at Barisal was instructed at one point to freeze Hindu deposits. Morever, when units of the Pakistani army later arrived in Barisal, eyewitness accounts say soldiers drove through the streets with loudspeakers announcing a 25 rupee reward for information as to the whereabouts of Hindu residents.

A palpable fear has gripped East Bengal since the devastating night of March 25th. The World Bank Mission, after spending several days traveling throughout East Bengal in early June, was forced to conclude:

"Perhaps most important of all, people fear to venture forth and, as a result, commerce has virtually ceased and economic activity generally is at a very low ebb. Clearly, despite improvements in some areas and taking the Province as a whole, widespread fear among the population has persisted beyond the initial phase of heavy fighting. It appears that this is not just a concommitant of the Army extending its control into the countryside and the villages off the main highways, although at this stage the mere appearance of military units often suffices to engineer fear. However, there is also no question that punitive measures by the military are continuing; even if directed at particular elements (such as known or suspected Awami Leaguers, students, or Hindus), these have the effect of fostering fear among the population at large. At the same time, insurgenct activity is continuing. This is not only disruptive in itself, but also often leads to massive Army retaliation. In short, the general atmosphere reamins very tense and incompatible with the resumption of normal activities in the Province as a whole."

Report after Report over the summer months echoed the findings of the World Bank Report-as did hundreds of interviews with refugees in India, including new arrivals, by members of the Subcommittee's field team. The emergence of Be! ngali guerilla units, known as Mukti Bahini (Liberation Forces), have brought an added dimension to the violence and chaos and fear throughout East Bengal. A dispatch from Faridpur district, published in The New York Times on September 23, describes the continued violence as follows:

*** Nira Pada Saha, a jute trader in Faridpur District told of a reprisal against a village near his that had sheltered and fed the guerillas. Just before he fled five days ago, he related, the army struck the village, first shelling it then burning the huts. "Some of the villagers didnt run away fast enoght," he said."The soldiers caught them, tied their hands and feet and threw them into the flames."

There were about 5,000 people in the village, mostly Hindus, Mr. Saha said, and not a hut is left. According to the refugees, the army leaves much of the "dirty work," to its civilian collaborators-the razakars, or home guards-it has armed and to the supporters of right-wing religio! us political parties such as the Moslem League and Jamaat-i-Islami, which have usually backed the military regime.

The collaborators act as as intelligence agents and enforcers for the army, the refugees say, by pointing out homes and villages and people who have helped the guerrillas. Often, the refugees added, the collaborators make arrests at random and for no reason. "The razakars and the others come into a village and pick just any house," said Dipak Kumar Biswas, a radio repairman from Barisal District. "Then they arrest whatever able-bodied young man is in that house and hand him over to the army. We don't know what the army does to them. They never come back." (47-49)

In his conclusion, Kennedy states:

"Nothing is more clear, or more easily documented, than the systematic campaign of terror-and its genocidal consequences-launched by the Pakistani army on the night of March 25th. Field reports to the U.S government, countless eye-witness journali! stic accounts, reports from international agencies such as the World Bank, and additional information available to the Subcommitte document the continuing reign of terror which grips East Bengal. Hardest hit have been members of the Hindu community who have been robbed of their lands and shops, systematically slaughtered, and, in some places, painted with yellow patches marked "H". All of this has been officially sanctioned, ordered and implemented under martial law from Islamabad. America's heavy support of Islamabad is nothing short of complicity in the human and political tragedy of East Bengal." (66)

As you can see in a couple of the eye-witness dispatches filed, the Pakistani objective of using Hindu land as a carrot for under-class muslims was being achieved.

A couple estimates of the Hindu death toll can be found at http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.TAB8.2.GIF

Look at lines 43 and 44 under "Hindus - death toll": Porter estimates it around 2 mill! ion, Roy around 3 million. In between 2 and 3 million should not be surprising given the eye-witness accounts and the simple fact that the majority of the refugees (80%) were Hindu. The following population figures for Hindus in Bangladesh do not look normal from 1961 to 1974.

Bangladesh Hindu Population, July 2000: 13.565 mill (10.5 %)

Bangladesh Hindu Population, 1981: 10.633 mill (12.2%)

Bangladesh Hindu Population, 1974: 9.655 mill (13.5%)

Bangladesh Hindu Population, 1961: 9.411 mill (18.5%)

Bangladesh Hindu Population, 1941: 11.76 mill (28.0%)
-------------
Source: hinduhumanrights.org

Night long rape of mum and child in Kaligonj

2008-07-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Night long rape of mum and child in Kaligonj

Translated by Basu Bose, HRCBM

Translation of the news in ‘Daily Janata’ May 7th, 2008
Daughter strangled to death

Filed by Kaligonj reporter: The terrorists (*1) took turns through the night of May 1st and raped mum and child, in South Bhadarthi village, in Kaligonj thana. The child victim Bituni (14) is the daughter of Mr James De Silva and, was a straight ‘A’ student in Grade 8 at Saint Mary Girls School. She was gang raped throughout the night by these men and then they forced poison down her mouth, and held her mouth shut. After Bituni showed no sign of consciousness, the criminals thought she was dead, and ran away. Sima De Silva, Bituni’s mum, sought help from some local people to move the girl to a hospital, Bituni made good progress after receiving treatment at the hospital. Within a short time period, however, the rapists who had been tracking Bituni’s whereabouts arrived at the hospital and got into the recovery room of Bituni. They surrounded Bituni and strangled her. For a few days, James De Silva and family found it very difficult to file any legal charges- they were terrified due to ongoing threats, intimidation and harassment coming from these terrorists. (*1) Five days passed after this bone-chilling incident before Mr De Silva went to the local police station to file a case against the armed gang of rapists. Following details of the incident emerged according to Kaligonj thana case # 4 dated May 5th, 2008. In Tumulia union’s South Bhadarthi village in Kaligonj thana: Around 10.30 pm the culprits broke into Mr James De Silva’s house. Mehedi (22), Dulal (23), Russell (20), and three other men pointed guns at Mr De Silva’s wife Sima and raped her for two hours after when they detained her inside the bathroom. They then proceeded to rape Sima’s daughter Bituni, and, took their turns throughout the night. At the end of the ordeal, they poured some poison into Bituni’s mouth before fleeing the scene. According to some local residents of the village, Mehedi is son of Mr Abdul Aziz. Mehedi had been harassing Bituni daily on her way to the school. She had resisted these unwelcome advances – this was why Mehedi used arms (to break in to the house) to rape Bituni and her mum, and, to suffocate Bituni to her death. After having survived this unprecedented terror, and once the night was gone, the mum arranged to move Bituni in an almost unconscious state in to a local hospital. Bituni gradually recovered in the hospital after receiving treatment. Meanwhile, Mehedi and some of his friends had been watching Bituni’s whereabouts and later followed her to the hospital. They somehow, conned Bituni’s mum, and sent her out of the hospital to fetch some medicine for her daughter. When Mrs De Silva came back with the medicine, she found Bituni was held on Mehdi’s lap while she was failing in her struggle to breathe. As soon as they had noticed her being back in Bituni’s hospital room, they made their exit in a hurry. Mrs De Silva soon realised that during her absence from the hospital, Mehedi was working on the ways to throttle Bituni. In a desperate rush Bituni was soon removed to the Fortune hospital in Dhaka where the attending doctors declared her dead. Bituni’s body was buried on the same day she died in the cemetery of Tumulia church, without first documenting a report of ‘Death under suspicious circumstances.’ The gang raped mum, Sima, said: these men raped me at gunpoint first before taking their turns to rape my daughter and, then they tried to kill her by throwing poison down her throat. In the hospital soon after Bituni had recovered, they came and strangled her. Bituni’s dad, James, said: the murderers of my daughter are ‘terrorists’ of the most frightening kind- I want them tried. Had I been home on the day of the incident, I would have done every thing possible to protect the dignity of my wife and my daughter – even if I were killed by them. I don’t know why Lord has still kept me alive? Just come and see how I am barely passing my days. Mr Khandarkar Mohammed Manjir Rahman, the investigating officer & the officer in charge of the police station, said that he is trying to arrest the culprits.

Note (*1): Santrasis or terrorists in Bengali are local gangs (normally from the majority community in Bangladesh) who can be armed & routinely terrorise the helpless minorities with looting, vandalism, assaults, rape, mu

Courtesy: Quandary Reflection

Systematic Persecution of Religious Minorities in Bangladesh

2008-07-26T08:49:00.001-07:00

Systematic Persecution of Religious Minorities in Bangladesh
Dr Samir sarkar

Introduction

There may be scepticism whether minorities (Hindus) in Bangladesh are really persecuted in their homeland. The post election situation would unfold the truth. In addition, if we scan the history of the partition of India and the independence of Bangladesh we will get a vivid picture of the reality. The partition of India cost one million lives and displaced fifteen million people. After the partition, India was named as Republic of India whereas Pakistan as Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The birth of Pakistan began with anti-minority stance as is evident from the constitution. In the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan the post of the president was specially reserved for a Muslim with a belief that if a non-Muslim is elected as a president Islam will be endangered.
“A person shall not be qualified for election unless he is a Muslim” [Article 32(2)]

The division between Muslims and non-Muslims was clearly specified in the constitution,

“WHEREIN the Muslims of Pakistan should be enabled individually and collectively to order their lives in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam, as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah; WHEREIN adequate provision should be made for the minorities freely to profess and practice for religion and develop their culture”

On the contrary the Indian constitution provides a different message

“WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC,
and to see are all its citizens;
JUSTICE, Social, economical and political, LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of states and opportunity; and to promote among the all; FRETERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation”.

The following sections would reveal the mechanisms used to persecute the minorities systematically.

Communal violence

Communal riots in 1950s are established facts and the plight of the affected Hindus are also well known. The Pakistani authority deployed army and paramilitary forces to protect the Hindus. Instead of protecting the Hindus the law enforcement authority carried out large-scale oppression against them particularly against women which is evident from the resignation letter from the then Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Jogendra Mondol: “The military not only oppressed the people and took away food stuffs forcibly from Hindu houses, but forced Hindus to send their womenfolk at night to the camp to satisfy the carnal desire of the military”. The riots of 1950s caused mass exodus of Hindus from their homeland, which is current Bangladesh. Two and half million Hindus left their homeland during the period of 1950-51. No political party played any role to protect the minorities or to prevent the exodus.

Use of Judiciary for oppression

The Pakistani government promulgated ‘East Bengal Emergency Requisition of Property Act 13 (1948); East Bengal Evacuees Administration of Immovable Property Act 24 (1951); East Bengal Prevention of Transfer of Property and Removal of Documents and Records Act (1952). In order to increase the oppression another law was instituted, Pakistan Administration of Evacuees Property Act 12 (1957). After the dissolution of the United Front Government Martial Law was declared in 1958. The mass movement against the Martial Law was culminated in 1962. In order to divert the mass movement the government sponsored the horrendous communal riot in 1964. Then ‘East Pakistan Disturbed Persons (Rehabilitation) ordinance 1, 1964 was enacted. Although this law was aimed to rehabilitate the Hindu victims, but in practice it was used to persecute the minorities.

During the Indo-Pak war, 1965 (6 September), ‘Defence of Pakistan Ordinance No. 23’, 6 September 1965 was instituted. Under this ordinance the historical BLACK LAW ‘Enemy Property Custody and Registration Order, 1965’ commonly known as ‘Enemy Property Act’ was promulgated.

The unflinching love of the minorities to their motherland and their patriotism inspired them to take part in the liberation war of Bangladesh. The minorities cherished hopes for fair treatment and equal right in an independent Bangladesh as her constitution guarantees. On 10 April 1971, Bangladesh Government at Mujibnagar declared that all irrelevant Pakistani Acts would be annulled. On 26 March 1972 Bangladesh Vesting of Property and estates, Presidential Ordinance No. 29 was enforced. Though ‘Enemy Property (Continuance of Emergency Provisions (Repeal) Act 45’ was enforced in 1974, ‘Vested and Non-resident Property (Administration) Act 46, 1974 was enacted. In essence, ‘Enemy Property Act’ was abrogated through Act 45 and reinstituted through Act 46. The expectation of the minorities was a mere illusion.

In 1976 Ziaur Rahman abrogated the ‘Vested and Non-resident Property (Administration) Act 46’ and instituted No. 92 Ordinance. Alongside Act 45 ‘Enemy Property (Continuance of Emergency Provisions) Repeal Act’ was amended and the preventive ‘Enemy Property (Continuance of Emergency) Provisions Repeal (Amendment) Ordinance (No. 93) 196’ was enforced retrospectively from 23 March 1974.Through this Ordinance (No. 93) Government took the sole authority to control and sell the so called vested property. This shows Ziaur Rahman moved one step ahead to oppress the Hindus by violating Hindu Law in terms of ownership of the property. It is necessary to mention that it was Ziaur Rhaman who changed the four basic principles of the constitution of Bangladesh on 23 April 1977 which was subsequently instituted as 5th amendment. He was the architect of installing Pakistani tradition in the state machinery of an independent Bangladesh by depriving her citizens from their fundamental rights. Furthermore, Ziaur Rahman ordered the administration to find out more enemy property through a circular dated 23 May 1977. This circular intensified harassment and oppression on Hindus.

Another army President General Ershad just followed his predecessor’s foot marks. On 31 July he ordered to withhold the official circular of 23 May 1977. On the contrary, he declared Islam as the state religion through the 8th amendment, which was used as a licence to persecute the minorities. Unfortunately no repercussion was evident among the so called progressive politicians considering political gains and losses.

Khaleda Zia’s Government added momentum to the process of oppression on the Hindus through a circular (4 November 1993) in the name of validation of the list of enemy property.

During the last phase of the Awami League Government this black law was abrogated. However, practical implementation of the abrogation is a long way to go.

Hindu Population

Variation of the Hindu population with time as presented in Table 1 raises many questions.

Table 1: Hindu population at different times

Year Muslim (%) Hindu (%)

1951 76.9 23.1

1961 80.4 19.6

1974 85.4 14.6

1981 86.6 13.4

1991 87.4 12.6

During the last fifty years the average increase in population in the subcontinent is approximately three times. Taking this into account the present Hindu population in Bangladesh should be 40 million. Therefore, the statistics of population suggests that about 25 million Hindus are missing, which raises more questions than answers.

Representation of Minorities

The representation of the minorities in various sectors demonstrate how the minorities are treated in public representations, jobs and education.

Members of the Parliament

Table 2: Representation of Hindus in the parliament

Year Total Hindu

1954 309 72

1973 315 12

1979 8 0

1988 4 0

1991 11 0

1996 9 (?)

2001 3 0

Based on the percentage of Hindu population the present number of the Hindu parliamentarians should be about 40.

Defence

The representation of Hindus in defence including army, border security and police services is appalling as apparent from the following data:

Army
Table 3: Representation of Hindus in army

Position Total Hindu (%)
Jawan 80,000 0.63

Second LT/LT 900 0.33

Captain 1,300 0.62

Major 1,000 4.0

Lt Col 450 1.7

Colonel 70 1.4

Brigadier 65 (?)

Maj General 22 4.5

Air Force and Navy

Essentially the Hindu representation in these two services is almost nil.

Border Security Personnel

The Hindu representation in Border Security Service is about 0.75% .

Police

Table 4: Representation of Hindus in police

Position Total Hindu (%)

Ordinary 80,000 2.5%

ASP/Asst Commissioner 635 6.3

DSP/Addl SP 87 2.3

SP/AIG 123 8.1

DIG 18 5.5

Add/IG 6 0

IG 1 0

The representation of the minority is no way better in the public service.

Education and other sectors

There was only one Hindu Vice Chancellor in the history of Bangladesh. Ironically, he was removed unlawfully from his position because of the religious denomination. Apart from the Vice Chancellor, the government also appoints the Pro-Vice Chancellor of a university. Not a single Hindu was appointed in this position although there are many distinguished Hindu academics. Discrimination is prevalent in awarding scholarships and enrolment in medical institutions.

Millions of dollars are spent for the development of Madrassas and there is Islamic University. However, Sanskrit ‘Tols’ and ‘Pali Institutions’ only exist in name. Religious teachers of the minority community are discriminated in terms of salary and other benefits.

Bangladesh Government spends huge amount of money for the development of particular religious places whereas such development of Hindu and Buddhist temples and Christian churches is denied. In almost every government, semi-government, autonomous and academic institution there is mosque for prayer but the minorities are not fortunate to have their prayer house in such institutions.

In the radio and television there is regular recitation from a particular holy book while recitation from the minority religious book is quite casual. The festivals of a particular religion are observed at a national level whereas other religious festivals are observed unceremoniously.

Savar mausoleum is a symbol of respect for those who sacrificed their lives for the independence of Bangladesh. It is a hard fact that people of all religions took part in the country’s liberation war. Regrettably a mosque was built at the memorial denying the recognition of the sacrifices of the religious minorities.

In general, the currency contains the portraits or images of famous people or places. In the Bagladeshi currency there are images of various mosques but no religious places of the minorities receive any importance.

Conclusion

The aforementioned facts strongly suggest that there has been a slow motion ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh. The change in power on 01 October 2001 has accelerated the cleansing process.

The recent atrocities and repression on the minorities raise the question of their survival in their homeland. The extinction of religious minorities can only be prevented if the following steps are implemented:

· Separate state from the religion
· Reinstate secularism in the constitution of Bangladesh
· Establish a truly independent judiciary
· Abolish all sorts of discriminatory laws and policies.

The recent government sponsored atrocities toll the bells for exposing those elements who, by their acts of commission and omission, are pushing the nation into the dark dungeons from which there can be no retrieval.

Bibliography

Kankar Sinha (1997). Communalism and Minority Crisis. Dhaka: Anannya Publishers

Bhowmik N and Dhar B (1997). Anjali. Dhaka: Dhaka Mahanagar Puja Committee

Dutta C R (1993). The Disgrace

১১ সংখ্যালঘুকে পুড়িয়ে মারার নেপথ্য পিশাচ চুনোপুটি থেকে কোটিপতি সন্ত্রাসী আমিন চেয়ারম্যান

2008-07-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

১১ সংখ্যালঘুকে পুড়িয়ে মারার নেপথ্য পিশাচ চুনোপুটি থেকে কোটিপতি সন্ত্রাসী আমিন চেয়ারম্যান

বাঁশখালী (চট্টগ্রাম) প্রতিনিধি : বাঁশখালীর সন্ত্রাসী গডফাদার, জোট আমলের মহাক্ষমতাবান আমিনুর রহমান ওরফে সৌদি আমিন একসময়ে ছিলেন ছা-পোষা কেরানি। ভাগ্যান্বেষনে একপর্যায়ে চলে যান সৌদিআরব। ফিরে এসে কাঁচা পয়সার জোরে বনে যান ইউপি চেয়ারম্যান। চারদলীয় জোট সরকারের আমলে চাচাত ভাই সাবেক বন ও পরিবেশ প্রতিমন্ত্রী জাফর"ল ইসলাম চৌধুরীর আর্শিবাদে উপজেলা বিএনপির সাধারণ সম্পাদন মনোনীত হন। জোট শাসনের পাঁচ বছরে তিনি চুনোপুটি থেকে পরিণত হন কোটিপতিতে। বাঁশখালীতে এমন কোনো অপকর্ম ছিল না যা তার ইশারায় হতো না। পুলিশের সাথে ছিল তার সারাক্ষণ উঠাবসা। ফলে শত অপকর্ম করলেও পার পেতে কষ্ট হতো না তার।

এলাকাবাসী সূত্রে জানা গেছে, আমিন চেয়ারম্যান এককালে বাঁশখালী কলেজে অফিস সহকারির চাকরি করতেন। অনিয়মের কারণে বরখাস্ত হন। অতঃপর ভাগ্য ফেরাতে বসেন বিয়ের পিঁড়িতে। শ্বশুর বাড়ী থেকে যৌতুক হিসাবে ভিসা নিয়ে চলে যান সৌদিআরব । ১৯৯৬ সালে চাচাত ভাই জাফরুল ইসলাম চৌধুরী বিএনপি থেকে এমপি নির্বাচিত হওয়ার পরে আমিন চেয়ারম্যান ভাগ্যের চাকা আরেকদফা ঘোরাতে দেশে ফেরেন। জাফরুলের ক্যাডার হিসেবে যুক্ত হন বিএনপির সঙ্গে। ২০০১ সালে চারদলীয় জোট সরকার গঠন করলে জাফরুল ইসলাম চৌধুরী প্রতিমন্ত্রী নিযুক্ত হন। তার আশীর্বাদপুষ্ট হয়ে আমিন চেয়ারম্যান বনে যান বাঁশখালীর অপরাধ জগতের ডন। ইউপি নির্বাচনে ছলে বলে কৌশলে চেয়ারম্যান নির্বাচিত হন। জোট সরকারের আমলে পুরো বাঁশখালী ছিল তার নিয়ন্ত্রনে। বাঁশখালীর প্রশাসন চলত তার কথায় ।

এলাকবাসী জানেন, ২০০৩ সালে ১৮ই নভেম্বর বাঁশখালীর চাঞ্চল্যকর ১১ জন সংখ্যালঘুকে পুড়িয়ে মারার ঘটনার নেপথ্য নায়ক আমিন চেয়ারম্যান। মামলার বাদী বিমল শীল থানায় এজাহার দায়েরকালে ঘটনায় আমিন চেয়ারম্যানের জড়িত থাকার কথা বললেও প্রতিমন্ত্রীর ভাই হওয়ায় পুলিশ তার নাম এজাহারে রাখেনি বলে অভিযোগ রয়েছে। ঘটনার পরপরেই বিভিন্ন মহল থেকে তাকে গ্রেফতারের দাবী উঠলেও পুলিশ থাকে গ্রেফতার করতে সাহস পায়নি। বরং মামলার তৎকালীন তদন্ত কর্মকর্তা এএসপি (সাতকানিয়া সার্কেল) ক্লারেন্স গোমেজের সাথে আমিন চেয়ারম্যানের গভীর সম্পর্কের সখ্যতার অভিযোগ উঠে। একই গাড়িতে চড়ে তারা দুজন থানায় যেতেন। সার্কেল ক্লারেন্স গোমেজ বাদীকে না জানিয়ে অতিগোপনে মোটা অংকের টাকার বিনিময়ে আদালতে চার্জশিট দাখিল করেন। চার্জশিটে মামলাকে স্র্রেফ ডাকাতি ঘটনা হিসাবে উল্লেখ করেন। বাদী চার্জশিটের বিরুদ্ধে নারাজি দিলে আদালত মামলাটি পুনঃ তদন্তের নির্দেশ দেন। পরে পুনঃ তদন্ত করলেও চার্জশিটে আমিন চেয়ারম্যানের নাম বাদ দেওয়া হয়। এএসপি সাতকানিয়া আগের ন্যায় অতি গোপনে এই চার্জশিট প্রদান করেন। বাদী বিমল শীল পুনরায় পিটিশন দেন। আদালত মামলাটি পুনঃতদন্তের নির্দেশ দেন। বর্তমানে মামলাটি সিআইডির তদন্তে রয়েছে।

জানাগেছে, ২০০৪ সালে বাঁশখালীর সালে বাঁশখালীর কালীপুর গুনাগরী এলাকায় আশরাফ নামের এক যুবককে আমিন চেয়ারম্যানের নির্দেশে খুন করে সন্ত্রাসীরা। মৃত আশরাফের মা হোসনে আরা তার ছেলে হত্যার ঘটনায় আমিন চেয়ারম্যান জড়িত বলে অভিযোগ করেন এবং ঐ মামলায় আমিন চেয়ারম্যানের বিরুদ্ধে ওয়ারেন্ট রয়েছে। বাঁশখালীর বহুল আলোচিত গডফাদার, চাঞ্চল্যকর ১১ হত্যাসহ ৯ মামলার পলাতক আসামী, বাঁশখালী উপজেলা বিএনপির সাধারণ সম্পাদক, সাবেক প্রতিমন্ত্রী জাফর"ল ইসলাম চৌধুরীর চাচাত ভাই কালীপুর ইউপি চেয়ারম্যান আমিনুর রহমান চৌধুরী (৫০) অবশেষে গত সোমবার বাঁশখালীর সিনিয়র জুডিসিয়াল ম্যাজিষ্ট্রেট জয়নাল আবেদীনের আদালতে আত্মসমর্পণ করলে বিজ্ঞ আদালত তার জামিন না-মঞ্জুর করে জেল হাজতে প্রেরণের নির্দেশ দিয়েছে। দীর্ঘ দিন ধরে পলাতক এই চেয়ারম্যানকে র‌্যাব, পুলিশ ও যৌথবাহিনী হন্যে হয়ে খুঁজছিল। তার আত্মসমর্পণের ঘটনায় আইন শৃঙ্খলা বাহিনীসহ প্রশাসনের সর্বোচ্চ পর্যায়ে এবং জনমনে স্বস্তি ফিরে এসেছে। এদিকে তার আত্মসমর্পণ ও তাকে নিয়ে গত কয়েকদিন ধরে দেশের জাতীয় ও স্থানীয় বিভিন্ন পত্রিকায় ফলাও করে সংবাদ প্রকাশের পর তার আরো নানা অপকর্ম এবং অজানা কাহিনী বেরিয়ে আসতে শুরু করেছে। চাঞ্চল্যকর ১১ হত্যা মূল অভিযুক্ত আমিন চেয়ারম্যানকে রিমান্ডে নিয়ে তার অপকর্মের রহস্য উদ্ঘাটন করতে এলাকাবাসী দাবী জানিয়েছে। সাধারণ জনগনের আশা বাঁশখালীর এই আলোচিত ব্যক্তি আমিনুর রহমানকে রিমান্ডে নিয়ে উপরোক্ত ঘটনার বিষয়ে প্রকৃত তথ্য সাধারণ জনগণ জানতে পারবে এই আশা উর্দ্ধতন কর্তৃপক্ষের কাছে। গত ২৬ শে জুন কুখ্যাত আমিন চেয়ারম্যান নিজ বাড়ীতে বসে ছবি তুলে অথচ পুলিশ রহস্যজনক কারনে তার কোন ব্যবস্থা নেননি। জোট সরকারের ৫ বছর শাসনামলে বিশাল বিত্তবৈভবের মালিক বনে যান আমিন চেয়ারম্যান। তার নামে, বোনের নামে ও স্ত্রীর নামে বনভূমি সহ রয়েছে কোটি কোটি টাকার সম্পদ যার মধ্যে আলিশান বাড়ী, কয়েকটি মার্কেটের মালিকও তিনি। এত সম্পদ থাকার পরেও তদন্ত না হওয়ায় এ ব্যাপারে দুদকের হস্তক্ষেপ কামনা করে বাঁশখালীর সর্বত্র জনগণ।

গডফাদার আমিনুর রহমান ১৯৯৬ সালে জাতীয় নির্বাচনকে সামনে রেখে চাচাতো ভাই তৎকালীন চট্টগ্রাম চেম্বার অব কর্মাসের সভাপতি সাবেক প্রতিমন্ত্রী জাফরুল ইসলাম চৌধুরীর হাত ধরে বিএনপির রাজনীতিতে অংশ নিয়ে আস্তে আস্তে তিনি প্রভাবশালী হয়ে উঠেন। হয়ে উঠেন গডফাদার এবং হিংস্র। ২০০১ সালের নির্বাচনের পূর্বে চার দলীয় জোট গঠন ও বিএনপির উপজেলা কমিটিতে আমিনুর রহমান মূল ক্ষমতাধর ব্যক্তি হিসেবে আর্বিভূত হন। ২০০১ সালের নির্বাচনের মধ্যে দিয়ে চার দলীয় জোট ক্ষমতায় এলে চাচাতো ভাই জাফরুল কে প্রতিমন্ত্রী করা হয়। ইউনিয়ন পরিষদ নির্বাচনে কালীপুর ইউপির চেয়ারম্যান প্রার্থী হয় আমিন। কারচুপি ও ক্ষমতার অপব্যবহার করে চেয়ারম্যান পদ ভাগিয়ে নেন তিনি। এরপর থেকে ক্ষমতার দাপটে আমিনকে আর পিছনে ফিরে থাকাতে হয়নি। তিনি হয়ে উঠেন চরম বেপরোয়া। দল ও চাচাতো ভাইয়ের নাম ভাঙ্গিয়ে এই গডফাদার বাঁশখালীর অপরাধ জগতের মুকুটহীন সম্রাট এবং মূল ব্যক্তি হয়ে উঠেন। ২ পুত্র ও ১ কন্যা সন্তানের জনক বহুল আলোচিত এই চেয়ারম্যান এখন বাঁশখালীবাসীর জন্য একটি আতঙ্কের নাম। দল ক্ষমতায় থাকাবস্থায় ২০০৩ সালে বাঁশখালীর সাধনপুরে ১১ জন হিন্দু সংখ্যালঘুকে জীবন্ত পুড়িয়ে মারা হয়। তার নেতৃত্বে এই সন্ত্রাসী কর্মকান্ড সংগঠিত হয়েছে বলে এলাকাবাসীর অভিযোগ। এই ঘটনা দেশে-বিদেশে বেশ চাঞ্চল্যের সৃষ্টি করে। এই চাঞ্চল্যকর ঘটনার পর পরই আমিনুর পত্র-পত্রিকার সংবাদ শিরোনাম এবং বেশ আলোচিত হয়ে উঠেন। বাদী এবং এলাকাবাসী আমিনের নেতৃত্বে এই নারকীয় হত্যাকান্ডটি ঘটানোর অভিযোগ করলেও চাচাতো ভাই মন্ত্রী হওয়ার সুবাদে মামলার এজাহারে তার নাম দিতে দেয়া হয়নি। এমনকি তাকে বাদ দিয়েই তদন্তকারী কর্মকর্তা ঘটনাটি স্রেফ ডাকাতি হিসেবে চার্জশীট দাখিল করেন। ২০০৪ সালের ১ অক্টোবর গুনাগরী এলাকার হোসনে আরার ছেলে আশরাফ আলী নামে এক যুবককে হত্যা করে ফেলে রাখা হয় পার্শ্ববর্তী একটি পানের ক্ষেতে। পরদিন সকাল সাড়ে ১০টায় লাশ উদ্ধার করা হয়। এই হত্যাকান্ডটি আমিনের ক্যাডাররা সংঘটিত করে বলে হোসনে আরার অভিযোগ। এতেও বেশ আলোচিত হন তিনি। এই মামলায় মোট ৮ জনের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযোগ এনে গত বছরের নভেম্বর মাসে আদালতে চার্জশিট দাখিল করে পুলিশ। এদের মধ্যে কসাই মনির ও আবদুল জলিল নামে দুই ঘাতক ইতিপূর্বে গ্রেফতার হয়ে বর্তমানে কারাগারে রয়েছে। নুরুইয়া নামে অপর এক আসামী এখনো পলাতক। বাকী ৪ আসামী রয়েছে জামিনে। সর্বশেষ আমিন চেয়ারম্যানও গত সোমবার এই মামলায় কারান্তরীণ হলেন। সন্ত্রাসী কর্মকান্ড ও খুন, চাঁদাবাজীসহ আমিনের নামে থানা ও আদালতে ডজনখানেক মামলা এবং অসংখ্য অভিযোগ দায়ের হলেও ক্ষমতার দাপটে তাকে পুলিশ গ্রেফতার করেনি। খুন, ধর্ষণ, চাঁদাবাজি, ডাকাতি ইত্যাদি অপরাধে প্রায় ডজনখানেক মামলা কাঁধে নিয়েও এই আমিন চেয়ারম্যানই ছিলেন বিগত জোট সরকারের আমলে বাঁশখালীর ‘মিনি মন্ত্রী’। শুধুই দলীয় ক্ষমতা ব্যবহার করে বর্তমানে আমিনুর আলিশান ৩ তালা বাড়ী ও কয়েকটি মার্কেটের মালিক। তার মত আলিশান বাড়ী সাবেক প্রতিমন্ত্রী জাফরুলেরও নেই বলে জানা গেছে। তাছাড়া আমিনুরের রয়েছে নামে-বেনামে সরকারী বন বিভাগের পাহাড় ও বন ভূমি সহ কোটি টাকার সম্পদ। এদিকে বাঁশখালী থেকে নির্বাচিত সাবেক বন ও পরিবেশ প্রতিমন্ত্রী জাফরুল ইসলাম চৌধুরীর চাচাতো ভাই হওয়ার সুবাদে আমিন চেগয়ারম্যান নিজেই ছিলেন বাঁশখালীর অঘোষিত এমপি। তাকে চাঁদা না দিয়ে বৈধ-অবৈধ কোন ব্যবসাই করতে পারেনি সাধারণ লোকজন। সাবেক প্রতিমন্ত্রী প্রকাশ্যে ও পরোক্ষভাবে তাকে ইন্ধন যুগিয়েছেন সব সময়। সর্বশেষ ১ কোটি টাকার বিনিময়ে আশরাফ আলী হত্যা মামলাটি তুলে নেওয়ার জন্য হোসনে আরাকে নিজেই ফোন করেছিলেন জাফরুল হসলাম চৌধুরী। হোসনে আরার ভাষ্যমতে, ‘মন্ত্রী জাফরুল ক্ষমতা ছেড়েছেন ২০০৬ সালের ২৮ অক্টোবর। পরের মাসের ২৫ তারিখ রাত ১২টা ১০ মিনিটে তিনি আমাকে ১ কোটি টাকা নিয়ে মামলাটি তুলে নিতে বলেন। আমি যখন তাকে বললাম, মামলা তুলে নেবো, তবে আপনাকে বাঁশখালীর প্রতিটি এলাকায় মাইক দিয়ে ঘোষণা দিতে হবে যে অপরাধ কার। আমার, আমার ছেলের না আপনার এবং আপনার ভাইয়ের। এ কথা শোনার পর সাথে সাথে সাবেক প্রতিমন্ত্রী ফোনের লাইন কেটে দেন। সেই থেকে আর কখনো ফোন করেননি’। দেশে জরুরী অবস্থা জারী ও ব্যাপকভাবে ধরপাকড় শুরু হলে আমিন আত্মগোপনে চলে যায়। র‌্যাব, পুলিশ ও যৌথবাহিনী তাকে ধরতে অসংখ্যবার অভিযান পরিচালনা এবং হন্য হয়ে খুঁজে বেড়ালেও তার কেশাগ্রও ছুতে পারেনি।

সূত্র: দৈনিক ভোরের কাগজ

Bangladesh Hindu atrocities 'documented'

2008-06-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Bangladesh Hindu atrocities 'documented'

Bangladeshi Hindus receive support in Calcutta, India

By Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta

A leading South Asian rights group says it has documented widespread atrocities committed by Muslim radicals against members of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Shahriyar Kabir of the South Asian Coalition Against Fundamentalism told the BBC his group had collected evidence from victims who had fled the country.

Mr Kabir said the group's findings would soon be published in a white paper with full details of the alleged atrocities.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's coalition government has admitted there is some truth to the allegations, but has dismissed reports of widespread attacks on Hindus as exaggerated.

Rape and torture

Mr Kabir said that Muslim supporters of Bangladesh's ruling coalition successfully prevented a large number of Hindus from voting in Bangladesh's parliamentary elections in October.

They then went allegedly went on a rampage of rape, torture, murder and looting, forcing several hundred Hindus to flee their villages.

Many who did not leave the country took refuge in offices of the opposition Awami League.

The Awami League's leader and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is reported to have appealed to Hindus not to leave Bangladesh, but to stay and oppose the government.

Mr Kabir also alleged that extremist groups were forcing Hindus to flee to India in an attempt to turn Bangladesh into a purist Islamic state.

Political transition

On Wednesday, Bangladesh's Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury said he was unable to confirm reports that Hindus had fled the country.

Reports that day said Bangladeshi border guards had detained 124 Hindus while they were trying to cross the border into India.

Mr Chowdhury said an investigation would have to be carried out to see if these Hindus had been subjected to any kind of atrocity and if they were trying to leave Bangladesh.

He told the BBC that many people on both sides of the borders are involved in smuggling and they often cross the Indo-Bangladesh borders.

He did not, however, say he would claim that there had been no violence against the minority Hindu community after the October elections.

But he insisted that there was no link between religion and violence.

Mr Chowdhury said some criminals had taken advantage of a political transition in the country with an ulterior political motive and the new government was taking necessary actions against the miscreants.

He also dismissed the allegations that the government was linked to any criminals who were involved in attacks on Bangladesh's religious minorities.

Thursday, 8 November, 2001, 18:22 GMT
News Source: BBC

The truth about Bangladesh's Hindus

2008-06-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

The truth about Bangladesh's Hindus
Ramananda Sengupta, lately in Dhaka

March 22, 2006

Bangladesh: Citizens generally were free to practice the religion of their choice; however, police often were ineffective in upholding law and order and slow to assist members of religious minorities who were victims of crimes. Religiously motivated discrimination and violence -- including killings, rapes, attacks on places of worship, and forced evictions -- remained a problem.

Sanjay Chatterjee was barely 20 years old when he left Kolkata in 1988 in search of greener pastures. Family connections with Leftist politicians -- who in turn were linked to a minister in Bangladesh -- took him to Dhaka, where he set up a small garment business.

As his business grew, he acquired Bangladeshi citizenship and married a local Hindu girl. His parents and siblings live in Kolkata. That same year, military strongman and then Bangladesh president Hossain Mohammed Ershad amended the constitution of Bangladesh to make Islam the State religion. He also changed the State's weekly holiday from Sunday to Friday.

Eighteen years later, Chatterjee -- who now has a nine-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, and routinely travels to China, Thailand and other East Asian nations on business -- wants to return to India.

"Things have become very difficult here after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its fundamentalist allies came to power in 2001," he says. "It has become increasingly difficult for a Hindu to walk the streets of Dhaka with his head held high."

The ruling coalition -- it includes the Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and the Naziur faction of the Jatiya Party -- led by the BNP's Khaleda Zia won 209 of the 300 seats in the nation's single-House parliament. All three coalition partners advocate the imposition of Sharia, or Islamic law, in Bangladesh. The Jamaat reportedly endorses the activities of Al Qaeda [Images] chief Osama bin Laden, and is know for its strident anti-Indian stand.

Immediately after the elections, there were massive, concerted attacks on Hindus -- known to be supporters of the Opposition Awami League led by Hasina Wajed -- by ruling party activists. Hundreds died, many were raped, forcibly converted or deprived of their property. Thousands fled to India, mostly the border states of West Bengal and Assam.

"Since then, Hindus who stayed on in Bangladesh even after the anti-Hindu -- and by extension, anti-India -- riots which followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya (in India) in 1992, have been facing a hard time," says Chatterjee. "Our women avoid wearing vermilion on their foreheads and clothes which identify them as Hindu."

As for the men, "we are routinely referred to as malaun (infidels) and kafirs by local Muslims, particularly the younger people," he says. "If we dare protest, we are harassed further."

Dhaka's Bengali intellectuals, however, assert that the violence against Hindus is mostly political, not religious, in nature. They also point out that almost all Muslim nations faced violent anti-Hindu demonstrations following the Ayodhya demolition.

"We are devout Muslims. But it is essentially a cultural, not a religious, identity," says former minister and member of parliament Shawfikul Ghaani. "Of course, such attacks have occurred, but perhaps not on the scale that the Hindus claim, and it would be wrong to classify all of them as religiously motivated. After all, Muslim supporters of the Awami league were also attacked by ruling party goons and leaders after the 2001 elections," he adds.

On November 14, a day after the The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit concluded amid very high security in Dhaka, two lower court judges died after their minibus was bombed by fundamentalists.

A youngster arrested for the bombing belonged to the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, said to be behind the August 17 serial blasts across the country and the recent threats and attacks on judges and other government officials. The JMB wants the imposition of Sharia rule in Bangladesh.

Among the thousands rounded up nationwide by the security agencies after the bomb attack were members of the students wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote, members of the ruling coalition. Some media reports said many were subsequently released following 'government intervention.'

The fact that one of the judges killed in the bombing was a Hindu is cited by BNP supporters as evidence that Hindus can aspire to senior government positions in Bangladesh. The fact that the other judge was a Muslim proves that the attackers were not specifically targeting Hindus, they say.

S Ganguly is an Indian working for a Japanese company in Dhaka for the past two years. His interactions with the Hindu community in Dhaka has left him somewhat disillusioned.

Agreeing with Ghaani that reports of religious discrimination were usually exaggerated by the Hindus, he says it is an attempt by the community to garner support in India, where many still have old ties and sympathies.

Look at these people," he says. "They earn in Bangladesh, but send their money to relatives in India. Many of them openly support India, for instance, during cricket matches. They teach their children to refer to India as 'my country.' As an Indian, how would you feel if Muslims in your neighbourhood openly supported Pakistan?" he asks.

"Of course, there have been cases of religious atrocities. No one can deny that. But sometimes I wonder whether they are asking for it," he says.

"Frankly, the anti-Hindu feeling has been there long before independence,' says Mushirul Haq, a history teacher at a primary school in Dhaka. "The hatred against them was fuelled by the leaders in West Pakistan, who branded anyone here who preached secularism as pro-Hindu and hence anti-Islam."

According to him, "Pakistan's military rulers like Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan promoted the radical Islamic parties in order to retain their power base, just like Zia and Ershad did here post independence."

"And we must remember that the Jaamat-e-Islami was originally a Pakistani theological party which preached jihad against the kafirs, or in other words, the non-believing Hindus. And these people, who opposed independence from Pakistan fearing a loss of their power here, and were at one time banned from entering politics, are now actually in power," he sighs.

"After the BNP came to power, the Jaamat revived its anti-Hindu programme, not officially, but by patronising and indirectly praising those who fuelled such hatred," he said. "Today, the police and even sections of the military have become party to this, because their civilian masters obviously encourage such feelings. And what's worse, many others support them for fear of being branded as Hindu lovers."

Moinuddin, a BNP student leader at Dhaka University who refuses to expand his name, says, "The BNP as a party is more secular and liberal than the Awami League. But this cannot be at the expense of nationalism. Hindus in Bangladesh are our brothers and sisters. But those who would rather live in India, let them leave now, or be identified as traitors and face the consequences."

"BNP or Awami League, they are the same," says Atiqur, a fruit seller at Dhaka's Kawran Bazaar, next to the plush Sonargaon hotel. "Our country has gone to the dogs ever since these two women (Khaleda Zia of the BNP and Hasina Wajed of the Awami League) decided that they were ordained to rule over this country. Until they go, things cannot improve. I think things are going to get a lot worse before it starts getting better. Today, you cannot cross the street without having to bribe someone. At least Ershad, despite all his flaws, did improve some of the infrastructure in the country."

"These two leaders and their slaves, who have no other agenda except to fight each other for the right to loot the nation, will drag this nation to hell. How will we explain that to our children?" he sighs.

Abdur Rahman, an activist of the Opposition Awami League, cites poverty and illiteracy as the prime causes for the growing anti-Hindu sentiments in Bangladesh. The BNP has compounded the mess by funding more madrasas than regular primary schools, he says.

"The people who graduate from these madrassas where they only learn the Koran and Islamic tenets by rote cannot get regular jobs. The only job they can get is that as head of a mosque, which perhaps explains the mushrooming number of mosques across the nation," he says. "Some small villages have as many as five."

"When people are poor, unemployed and frustrated, particularly the youngsters, it is easy to convince them that someone else -- in this case India and the Hindus -- is responsible for their problems," says Rahman, who was a supporter of Ershad's Jatiya Party before switching loyalties to the Awami League. "India's condescending attitude and its bullying tactics over river waters and trade does not help matters," he adds.

According to him, some 1,800 Bangladeshis who fought alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan returned home after the rout of the extremist outfit in 2001. "These youngsters, who trained in military camps in Pakistan, are now actively drumming up religious fervour and hatred for India across Bangladesh. And they have the protection of the Jamaat, a party which fought against our independence in 1971, and still maintains cordial ties with the Pakistani establishment," he says.

"However," he adds hopefully, "we Bengalis are essentially non-violent and secular. So, while these people are getting a few recruits, it is not the kind of overwhelming support they were hoping for. Very soon, they will be exposed and ostracised."

But for Sanjay Chatterjee, soon is not good enough.

News Source: Rediff.com

Hindus lost 26 lakh acres of land in Bangladesh

2008-06-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

By Rabindranath Trivedi – for Asian Tribune from Dhaka

Dhaka, May 15, 2008(Asiantribune.com): Members of the Hindu community have lost 26 lakh acres of land from 1965 to 2006, while an estimated one crore Hindus were forced to leave the country from 1964 to 2001 because of communal conflicts and deprivation caused by the Enemy (Vested) Property Act, according to a study reports the daily star, Dhaka.

The price of the land and other movable properties lost by 12 lakh Hindu families has been estimated at Tk 350412 crore, said the study sponsored by the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and Nijera Kori. The study report was published in the form of a book titled ‘Deprivation of Hindu Minority in Bangladesh: Living with Vested Property’, which was launched at LGED auditorium in Dhaka on 14 May.

Prof Abul Barakat, lead author of the book, said the government has identified only seven lakh acres of vested land, of which two lakh acres have been leased out and five lakh acres remain under the control of the grabbers.

Terming the identification of so small amount of vested land a failure of the administration, Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman, former chief adviser to a caretaker government, said the administration of the country is “impossibly inefficient.””There is a direct link between right to property and democracy,” he said, adding that all should work to help establish the rights of those who lost their properties.

In the study, Prof Barakat said, “Only five lakh people who were in power grabbed the land. This problem needs an immediate solution.” People involved with BNP politics grabbed 1749500 acres, those involved with Awami League grabbed 361400 acres, people involved with Jamaat-e-Islami grabbed 226200 acres and those engaged with Jatiya Party looted 182000 acres of vested land, said the study. Besides, 1820 acres of land was grabbed by people linked with Muslim League and 10400 acres of land by people involved with other political parties, it added.

The study recommended establishing a vested property bank to maintain all statistics of such property and handing over the land to distressed and landless Hindus living in the country. Justice Golam Rabbani blamed the administration for having strong link with influential people in grabbing the enemy properties.”There will be no change without the change in attitude of the bureaucracy,” he said emphasising on strong parliament and peoples’ democracy, the daily star added.

It may be mentioned that the census of 1951 reports that Muslims constituted only 19.90% in West Bengal, but now in 2001 as reported, it is 25.25%. Whereas the census of 1951 reports that Hindus constituted only 22% in East Bengal (now Bangladesh), but now in 2001 it is 9.2 %. The consequences of operation of Enemy/Vested Property Act have been, simply, gross denial of freedom and liberty, and institutionalization of systematic socio-cultural, economic and political deprivation of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. The national disaster has been so huge that during the last four decades (1965-2006) approximately 1.2 million ( out of total 2.7 million) households or 6 million people belonging to Hindu religion are directly affected by the Enemy turned Vested Property Act and have lost , in addition to land property ,other immovable and movable property. According to the estimation of Professor Abul Barkat of Dhaka University: ” The approximate money value of such loss ( US S 55 Billion) would be equivalent to 75% of GDP of Bangladesh(in 2007).(Deprivation of Hindu Minority in Bangladesh :Living With Vested Property By Abul Barkatand 5 others, (2008 Pathak Shamabesh, Dhaka)

Religious minorities, principally Hindu, Christian and Buddhist make up an estimated 11% of the population. Although equal under the law, these minorities are, in practice, disadvantaged in such areas as access to government jobs and political office. Selection boards in the Government service are often without minority group representation. In the current parliament there are 04 members from minority groups, out of a total of 330. Property ownership, particularly for Hindus, has been a contentious issue since independence, when many Hindus lost land holdings due to unequal application of the law. Reported cases of violence directed against religious minority communities has resulted in loss of property, minority communities has resulted in loss of property.

These actions are a symptom of the communal tension that have prompted some people belonging to minority groups to leave Bangladesh, causing a slow but steady decline in the relative size of the country’s minority population, especially Hindus.,says the US report in 1993″

It may be recalled that during the Gen. Ayub and Gen. Yahya regimes in Pakistan (1958-71) ,the Hindus suffered politically and economically. The Hindus as a political force, were suppressed to the extent of virtual non-existence. The rule of Martial Law, the Basic democracy system, Enemy Property Act (Vested Property Act), pushed them out of the political arena. The biggest problem the community was facing was that of survival Hindus were reluctant to join any political process or politics The Hindu absence from the political scene can be explained by the fact that the community had suffered the loss of many of its prominent leaders either by death or by migration.

The remaining Hindus like us might have thought it wise to wait and extent tacit support to Sheikh Mujib’s political programmes .Thus the Hindus participate in the democratic movements of 1966, 1969 and 1970’s elections. Awami League got unqualified support from the Hindus. Hindus exerted influence in making the Muslim Leadership more liberal-democratic, thereby safeguards the minority interests.

Thus the Hindus in particular were targets of Pakistan-army’s campaign of genocide during the War of Liberation in 1971.During the post liberation period of Bangladesh; the Hindus were more compromising than before and consoled themselves that they are equal citizens of a People’s Republic under the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh framed in the Constituent Assembly in 1972.

The subsequent military regimes in Bangladesh after August 1975 however, reversed all the state principles of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh framed by the people’s representatives in 1972. State principle Secularism has been replaced with full trust in almighty Allah and Islam the State religion. Socialism was replaced with social justice and Bengali nationalism with Bangladeshi nationalism, presumably, to highlight the Islamic identity of the nation. Bangladeshi Hindus become second-class citizens, as they were less than 1956 constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Bangladesh under martial law regimes could not break away from the past and remained steeped in the legacy of her history of the 23-year existence as part of Pakistan. Hindu-Muslim relationship in Bangladesh was a natural corollary of the tendency to stay prisoner of the past. Hindus in Bangladesh become second-class citizens following the amendments of fifth and eighth to the constitution of Bangladesh.

Over the last three decades, India has abandoned the minority Hindus at the behest of her Transshipment, Trade imbalance, Cross border insurgency and border skirmishes, Natural Gas import issues on the table with Bangladesh. Now India is facing cross border terrorism in Eastern states. Demographic characters of eastern states have been alarmingly changed. In West Bengal the Muslim population along with Bangladesh border has totally occupied and changed, but before1972 the proportion of the Muslims was insignificant in those areas around Bangladesh.

In the past year, Bangladesh’s unique democratic political system has undergone significant challenges and the upcoming elections continue to test the long-term viability of democracy in Bangladesh. Elections organized under the caretaker government that took power during the interim election period in late 2006 and early 2007, were severely criticized by many in the United States and international community. Criticism of the elections led to a military intervention by the army, which created a state of emergency and a military-backed caretaker government with elections postponed until December 2008.

The military-backed caretaker government, led by Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, has taken steps to rid the government of corruption and return Bangladesh to democracy. However, reports indicate that their success has been inconsistent with no guarantee that reforms they have implemented can be sustained in the long-term. Some now fear that the military-backed caretaker government may be undermining the very democratic system it is seeking to reform.

The last national election of October 2001 was marred by violence, particularly targeted at Hindus, and led to a coalition government that included religiously based parties, including Islamist parties that advocated for the adoption of Sharia law and reportedly had ties to terrorists. Since the 2001 elections, religious extremists have increased attacks on religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians, and other human rights have deteriorated with government impunity.

In addition to concerns over democracy and human rights created by the military-backed caretaker government and rising Islamic extremism, the recent substantial increase in food prices has also contributed to greater political instability in Bangladesh.The current period of reform by the military-backed caretaker government and elections planned for December 2008 will serve as a litmus test for the sustainability of democracy and human rights for people of all faiths in Bangladesh.

Annual Report of USCIRF-2008 issued on 2 May 2008 on Bangladesh in Washington says: Since the declaration of a state of emergency in January 2007, Bangladesh has been in the throes of a political and constitutional crisis, the resolution of which will determine whether religious freedom and other universal human rights will be protected by democratic institutions and the rule of law, or whether the country will continue on a downward spiral toward authoritarianism, militarization, and intolerance.

Since January 2007, previously scheduled national elections have been postponed, political freedoms severely curtailed and human rights abused with impunity by the security forces. These deviations from democratic norms under the current “caretaker government” raise troubling questions about the future prospects for respect for a range of freedoms, including potentially freedom of religion or belief. ……. This lack of accountability for anti-minority violence associated with the 2001 election led the Commission, minority advocates, and many others to be concerned that Bangladesh’s next national elections would also result in anti-minority violence. Some individuals with whom the Commission met during the February – March 2006 visit to Bangladesh were themselves experiencing difficulties in becoming registered. Others claimed that locations dominated by minority voters had not been visited by registration officials or, on the other hand, alleged that non-citizens believed to favor Islamist parties were being registered. Widespread concerns regarding the registration process were underscored by a U.S. National Democratic Institute study that found 13 million more individuals on the voter rolls than would be eligible according to Bangladesh’s census.

The USCIRF report further added : In addition to incidents of violence, the Vested Property Act (VPA), a pre-independence law enacted in 1965 in the wake of the India-Pakistan war, continues to be used as justification by some Muslims to seize Hindu-owned land.

The 2007 report of the prominent Bangladeshi human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) stated that in 2006 there were 54 seizures by Muslim individuals of Hindu-owned land and 43 attacks against Hindu temples by Muslims. The VPA’s implicit presumption that Hindus do not really belong in Bangladesh contributes to the perception that Hindu-owned property can be seized with impunity.

The most serious and sustained conflict along ethnic and religious lines has been in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, located on Bangladesh’s eastern border with India and Burma. The varied but wholly non-Bengali/non-Muslim indigenous peoples in this formerly autonomous area (often referred to collectively as Adivasis or Paharis) had opposed inclusion in East Pakistan during the partition of 1947, due to their identification with other tribal groups in northeast India.

Muslim Bengalis, once a tiny minority in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, now reportedly equal or outnumber members of indigenous groups. In 2007, Bangladesh human rights organizations reported a surge in Bengali settlements on tribal land in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

IV. Longer-Term Measures to Protect Universal Human Rights

The Commission recommends that the U.S. government should urge the government of Bangladesh to:

* ensure that decisions on public employment in national institutions such as the civil service, the military, law enforcement agencies, and the judiciary, including at the highest levels, do not discriminate on the basis of religious affiliation, belief, or ethnic background; conduct and publicize the results of a comprehensive survey of minority representation in the public service;

* establish effective, legally transparent mechanisms for handling complaints regarding discrimination in public employment;

* promote the use of history and social studies texts in public schools that reflect the country’s religious diversity and are reviewed by an independent panel of experts to exclude language or images that promote enmity, intolerance, hatred, or violence toward any group of persons based on religion or belief;

* repeal the Vested Property Act, discriminatory legislation that has been used unjustly to seize Hindu-owned property in the decades since Bangladesh’s independence and has continued to be used under successive governments to reward well-connected members of the majority community in Bangladesh; ( Annual Report of USCIRF-2008)

Bangladesh is under attack; she is struggling for existence as a democratic secular country. Bangladesh is now a rudderless, leaderless ship wallowing in the deep sea of conspiracy. The vision that mobilized the nation during the Liberation War in 1971, of a society economically prosperous, exploitation free, democratically governed, tolerant of pluralism, and respectful of peoples’ rights, is still alive in the minds of average citizens. We demand the people’s uninterrupted voting rights.

Rabindranath Trivedi Retired Addl Secretary and former Press Secretary to the President of Bangladesh.

- Asian Tribune -

Source: islamicterrorism.wordpress.com

উল্লাপাড়ায় অপহৃত কিশোরকে ধর্মান্তরের চেষ্টা, গ্রেফতার ১

2008-05-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

উল্লাপাড়ায় অপহৃত কিশোরকে ধর্মান্তরের চেষ্টা, গ্রেফতার ১
২২ মার্চ, ২০০৭, সমকাল, সিরাজগঞ্জ প্রতিনিধি।

জেলার উল্লাপাড়া উপজেলার প্রত্যন্ত পল্লীতে সংখ্যালঘু পরিবারের এক কিশোরকে অপহরণ করে ধর্মান্তরিত করার চেষ্টার অভিযোগ উঠেছে। কিশোরের পিতা এই অভিযোগে সলঙ্গা থানায় মামলা দায়েরের ৩ দিন পর পুলিশ খতনা করানো অবস্থায় কিশোরকে উদ্ধরের পাশাপাশি শামসুল ইসলাম তালুকদার নামের স্থানীয় এক ব্যক্তিকে গ্রেফতার করে। এদিকে মামলাটির তদন্তে পুলিশের বর্তমান ভূমিকা নিয়েও প্রশ্ন উঠেছে। জানা গেছে, সলঙ্গা থানার কাশীনাথপুর গ্রামের খেয়াঘাটের মাঝি গৌরনাথ তরণী দাসের কিশোরপুত্র নয়ন নাথ দাসকে (৯) গত রোববার অপহরণ করা হয়। থানায় দায়ের করা মামলায় স্থানীয় বেলাল ও শহীদসহ কতিপয় ব্যক্তি নয়নকে অপহরণ করেছে বলে উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে। থানায় অভিযোগ দায়েরের পর স্থানীয় চেয়ারম্যান এবং পুলিশের সহায়তায় ৩ দিন পর বুধবার সন্ধ্যায় অপহৃত নয়নকে উদ্ধার করা হয়।

স্থানীয় কাশীনাথপুর সরকারি প্রাথমিক বিদ্যালয়ের পঞ্চম শ্রেণীর ছাত্র নয়ন দাসকে এ সময় খতনা করানো অবস্থায় পুলিশ উদ্ধার করে ডাক্তারি পরীক্ষার জন্য জেলা সিভিল সার্জন কার্যালয়ে প্রেরণ করে। ইতিমধ্যে পুলিশ এই কিশোরের দুই দফা ডাক্তারি পরীক্ষা সম্পন্ন করেছে।

এদিকে, ভূমিহীন নিঃস্ব গৌরনাথ তরণী মামলা দায়ের করে বিপাকে পড়েছেন। নানা আইনি প্রত্রিক্রয়া সম্পাদনে কিশোর পুত্রের সঙ্গে সময় দেওয়ায় তার উপার্জন বন্ধ হয়ে পড়েছে। এর ওপর বিভিন্নভাবে তাকে মামলাটি উঠিয়ে নেওয়ার জন্য চাপ দেওয়া হচ্ছে। বর্তমানে সে এতই আতঙ্কিত যে, কোনো স্থানে, এমন কি পুলিশের সামনেও এ সংক্রান্ত কোনো তথ্য দিতে রাজি হচ্ছে না। সে জানায়, এই গ্রামে সে-ই একমাত্র সংখ্যালঘু পরিবার। দীর্ঘদিন আগে গ্রামের লোকজন তাকে খেয়াঘাটের মাঝি হিসেবে এই গ্রামের এক ভিটায় অস্থায়ীভাবে থাকার বন্দোবস্ত করে দিয়েছিল। মামলা দায়েরের বিষয়টি এই গ্রামের অনেকেই সহজভাবে দেখছে না।

A MINOR HINDU MINORITY GIRL ABDUCTED IN DINAJPUR, BANGLADESH

2008-05-04T04:38:00.001-07:00

Report from HRCBM-BNC
Note: Till writing this report, Police found to be prejudiced and reluctant to apprehend the criminal. Our Bangladesh National Chapter reported that criminals are in close contacts with IO (Investigating Officer). However, police denies of any such link.
Due to continuous threat from the influential quarters, Shri Chanchal Dutta (45), hapless father of a Hindu schoolgirl couldn't file a case against the kidnappers of his daughter at the local police station for four days. Nobody is speaking out against this crime fearing retribution, as the kidnapper come from a very notorius family. Finding no other alternatives, Chanchal Dutta approached HRCBM-BNC, Dinajpur for justice.
As per Shri Chanchal Dutta of Barabandar under Kotwali PS of Dinajpur, his minor aged daughter Miss Upama Dutta (15) is a student of class IX in the local school, was going to her tutor's residence on 26th April at around 7-30 A M, when she was proceeding towards her tutor Shri Tapan Chakraborty's residence, she was abducted by a neighborhood hoodlum on the road, Sohel Chowdhury, son of Alamgir Chowdhury alias Dulal Miah, a local man of Baluchar of Dinajpur . He used a motor vehicle to abduct her. Two local young men were the accomplices of this incident.
When Chanchal Dutta apprised earlier Alamgir Chowdhury and their relatives regarding unbecoming behaviour of Sohel in the street .They did not recognized this untoward incidences.
. Chanchal Dutta filed FIR on 26th April ,the same day to the Local Kotwali Thana, but Officer in Charge Mr Matiur Rahman ( 88-01713373963 ) did not take his case. Subsequently, Shri Dutta again brought this incident to the notice of the guardians of the abductor and other villagers but to no effect.
Shri Dutta apprised the case to the HRCBM- Dinajpur Unit , and HRCBM men talked with the SP of Dinajpur Mostafa Kamal ( Tel : 88- 01716386246 and 88-01713373955) and OC Kotwali but could find a positive reply from them besides tall talks . HRCBM apprised me that after 4-days police took FIR on 1 May 2008 . , FIR No -1 of 1/05/08 under Kotwali PS of Dinajpur.
Vice president of HRCBM-BNC Shri P R Barua ,former DIG ,Police and S R Baroi , Addle DIG, police were informed to take the matter for further enquiry and action. This the fourth case in two months

Repeal of Act brings no relief to Hindu families

2008-05-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

Haroon Habib

Political backing for land grabbing in Bangladesh, says study by professor

Some 2 lakh families lose 1.22 lakh bighas of land
No list of people evicted

DHAKA: A study in Bangladesh says nearly two lakh Hindu families have lost 1.22 lakh bighas of land, including their houses, in the six years since the `Vested Property Act' was annulled in 2001 to return property to their original owners.

Abul Barkat, Professor of Economics at Dhaka University who has done the study, says some 12 lakh or 44 per cent of the 27 lakh Hindu households were affected by the infamous Enemy Property Act, 1965 and its post-independence version, the Vested Property Act 1974, reported the New Age daily of Dhaka.

In 2001, the then Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina repealed the Vested Property Act with a view to restoring ownership of the lost land to affected Hindu families. But the study claims that the scrapping of the Act has not ended deprivation of the Hindu community due to `deliberate delay' and `criminalisation of the political economy.'

Following the India-Pakistan war in 1965, the then Pakistan government introduced the Enemy Property (Custody and Registration) Order II, which was widely criticised as a tool for appropriating the land of the minority population and forcing them to cross the border to India.

The newspaper said research found that no list of the people evicted or the quantum of land grabbed on the basis of the Act has been prepared till date.

Powerful connections

Instead, politically powerful people grabbed most of the land during the reign of the BNP-led alliance government between 2001 and 2006. Forty-five per cent of the land grabbers were associated with the BNP, 31 per cent with the Awami League, 8 per cent with Jamaat-e-Islami and 6 per cent with the Jatiya Party and other political organisations, claims the researcher.

He mentions that the affected Hindu families met with more incidents of violence and repression in the immediate-past five years of the BNP-Jamaat coalition government than in the previous five years of the Awami League government.

Political elements, locally influential people in collaboration with the land administration, trickery by land officials and employees themselves, use of force and crookedness, fake documentation, contracted farmers and death or exile of original owners have also been blamed for land grabbing and perpetuation of the `vested properties.'

The economist, who earlier had conducted a sensational study on Bangladesh's `Fundamentalist Economy', points out that 53 per cent of the family displacement and 74 per cent of the land grabbing occurred before the country's independence in 1971.

Tragic effects

In view of the gravity of the problem that has had tragic effects on the demography over 42 years, the professor acknowledges that it will also be a tough task to establish the rights of the original owners. According to him, more than 60 per cent of the owners and the successors of `vested properties' are either dead or have left the country.

`This is a man-made problem contrary to the spirit of humanity. We have to get rid of this uncivilised state of affairs. Otherwise, we have to face a bigger historic catastrophe,' Prof. Barkat insists in his research paper, `Deprivation of affected million families: Living with Vested Property in Bangladesh.'

He also dismisses the `Hindu versus Muslim' polarisation in the problem and claims that it is an issue created by communal elements and vested interests groups. `Criminals do not bother whether a piece of land is owned by a Hindu, a Muslim or a Santal; they resort to easy means to loot property.'

To solve the residual problems of the highly controversial Act, Prof. Barkat has come up with a number of recommendations such as identification and listing of such cases and lands, amendments to certain provisions of the 2001 law that hinders its implementation, cancellation of leases of such land to different people for 99 years, and involving citizens' groups in addressing the problem.

Source: The Hindu

Secular country?

2008-03-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Who says Bangladesh is a secular country? What the Islami Bank circular says?
There is no any post for Hindu and Bangladesh Government agree with them.

Hindus persecuted in India's neighbourhood

2008-03-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Pioneer: July 04, 2006

By Kanchan Gupta

September 14, 2005. Four Muslim men force their way into a Hindu house in Sindh, grab the young daughter of the family, carry her away, forcibly convert her to Islam and compel her to marry one of them. Two of the kidnappers are arrested, the case comes up in a local Pakistani court but the judge dismisses the charges of kidnapping and forcible conversion after the terrorised girl is forced to give a statement that she "wilfully married and converted".

Another young Hindu woman, Sapna Giyanchand, is forcibly taken to a shrine in Shikarpur district of Sindh by Shamsuddin Dasti, a Muslim married man and father. The custodian of the shrine, Maulvi Abdul Aziz, converts Sapna to Islam, changes her name to Mehek, and marries her to Dasti. When Sapna's case is presented in court, Muslim extremists mob her and chant slogans. A terrified Sapna is unable to speak to her parents, who are also present in court. Maulvi Aziz, responding to the demand that Sapna be returned to her parents, scoffs at the suggestion: "How can a Muslim girl live and maintain contact with kafirs?"

These and many other such instances of how Hindus who constitute a minuscule minority community in Pakistan are harassed, humiliated and denied basic human rights have been meticulously detailed in Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora - A Survey of Human Rights 2005, released last week in Washington, DC and The Hague by Hindu American Foundation, a non-profit, non-discriminatory, and non-partisan organisation. The report is entirely based on public documents and information culled from local media news stories. The contents have been verified for authenticity.

The HAF has as its members distinguished professionals and young achievers. It is fast acquiring an influential voice on Capitol Hill: Senior members of the House and Senate - both Republicans and Democrats - were present at the launch of this year's report; many of them have endorsed its contents. Commending the HAF for "continuing to highlight the treatment of Hindu minorities worldwide," Democrat Gary Ackerman said, "Clearly, this report emphasises the ongoing struggle for religious freedom."

Commenting on the plight of Hindus in Pakistan, the report describes "how young girls, as young as 12 or 13, have been kidnapped in Sindh, converted to Islam, and forcibly married to Muslim men." It quotes Laljee Menghwar, a member of Karachi's Hindu Panchayat, saying, "Kidnapping Hindu girls like this has become a normal practice. The girls are then forced to sign stamp papers stating that they've become Muslims". At least "19 similar abduction cases have taken place in Karachi alone, and six in the Jacobabad and Larkana districts."

Pointing out the decline of Pakistan's Hindu population - from 25 per cent in 1947 to 1.6 per cent in 1998, and less than one per cent in 2006 - the report says that though "Pakistan's Constitution provides for freedom of religion, in practice, however, the Government imposes limits on this freedom...(which is) subject to law, public order, and morality...In addition, the Constitution requires that laws be consistent with Islam and imposes some elements of Quranic law on both Muslims and religious minorities".

According to the HAF's findings, "Hindus continue to be the target of kidnappings, rape, and intimidation in Pakistan. There are reports of desecration and destruction of Hindu temples and lands, theft and looting of Hindu property, discrimination and abuse."

As in Pakistan, in Bangladesh, too, persecution of Hindus by Islamic fanatics continues unabated. The Hindu population in Bangladesh has declined from 31 per cent in 1947 to 13.2 per cent in 2001. The attacks on Hindus and their temples has assumed alarming proportion as the minority community's strength continues to dwindle with each passing year.

"Data indicate that the number of incidents of human rights abuse against Hindus during 2005 continued at about the same rate as in 2004, and more seriously, the political situation in Bangladesh worsened with Islamic fundamentalist and extremist forces becoming more bold and entrenched in society. Observers fear that Bangladesh may be headed the Taliban way as in Afghanistan," says the report.

"Bangladesh continues to use discriminatory laws against its minority populations, especially the Hindus. No attempt was made last year to revamp the Vested Property Return Bill (VPRB/2001), which was a subterfuge that promised to jettison the Vested Property Act (VPA/1972) and Enemy Property Act (EPA/1965) that officially designated Hindus as 'enemies' and was used to confiscate land and property belonging to Hindus," the report points out.

Providing graphic details of how Hindu homesteads are attacked, property looted, women raped and temples desecrated, the report lists 480 instances of Hindu rights being violated by Islamic fundamentalists in Bangladesh with the BNP-Jamat-e-Islami Government of Begum Khaleda Zia refusing to offer either comfort or protection to that country's beleaguered minority community. The report contains details of 39 incidents of rape of Hindu women, 52 of targeted killings, 78 of attacks on temples, 120 of land confiscation and forcible eviction, 161 of assault, theft, looting and intimidation, 29 of kidnappings and one of a journalist being threatened.

In Afghanistan, Hindus and Sikhs continue to be persecuted as a community. Before the jihad of 1980s, Hindus and Sikhs comprised 1 per cent of the population, or 15,000 to 20,000 families. At present there are 1,200 families, of whom 350 are in Kabul. The report points out that "due to fear of persecution or ridicule, Hindus do not send their children to public schools. They receive neither Government nor international assistance for their schools."

The plight of Hindu and Sikh children in Afghanistan is underscored by the fact that "currently, only one Sikh school in Karte Parwan is functioning. There are no professional teachers, and those that do teach receive only 1,000 Afghanis (approximately $20) a month, paid by the Hindu and Sikh community. In Kandahar there is no school at all, only classes in the temple. Muslims have occupied two of the Hindu schools."

According to the HAF's findings, "Currently only three Hindu and three Sikh temples are open in Kabul. These temples face discrimination from local warlords and governors. They are, for example, charged for electricity while mosques in the same localities are not."

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican), senior ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, who co-hosted the Press conference held in Rayburn House Building to release the report, expressed serious concern over the facts presented in the document, describing it as a crucial resource. "As an ardent human rights advocate in the United States Congress, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that all are afforded the protection they deserve," she said in her remarks, adding, "Especially, Hindus who are persecuted by extremist groups."

A House resolution calling attention to human rights violations against Hindus prompted by, among other things, the HAF report is being prepared and the Congresswoman is expected to deliver a separate floor statement highlighting human rights violations that are particularly severe in Bangladesh.

"By documenting human rights violations against Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Fiji and the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir, the Hindu American Foundation continues to raise global awareness of these abuses," said Congressman Joseph Crowley (Democrat, New York), as he joined Senator Orrin Hatch (Republican), Joe Wilson (Republican), Jim Ramstad (Republican) and many other members of the US Congress in endorsing the contents of the report.

Several academics on campuses around the US also reviewed this year's report. "This report by the Hindu American Foundation... is a real eye-opener," observed Professor Nathan Katz, Professor of Religious Studies at Florida International University, adding, "As a minority in Islamic societies that consider them to be 'idolators,' Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan face unimaginable persecution routinely."

The Vested Property Act

2008-03-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

The sorrowful tale of how the 12 million Hindus of Bangladesh are officially classed as enemies

The Vested Property Act first appeared in 1965, when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan. It was at that time called the "Enemy Property Act." In that year, war broke out between India and Pakistan. The law was directed primarily against the property of the Hindus who had temporarily fled to India in fear of their lives. The state was enabled to take their property into custody, with the rationale that a Hindu who went to India was an enemy.

After the Bangladeshi War of Independence (1971) it was expected that the law would be repealed. India, far from being an enemy of Bangladesh, enjoyed excellent relations with the newly born state. However, all that happened was that the act was renamed the Vested Property Act. Hence, on paper, according to this law, India was actually still an enemy of Bangladesh. Even worse, whereas previously the state was only the custodian of the confiscated property, an amendment was passed in 1976, which made the state the outright owner of the property, which it could redistribute. This was a cruel and callous move by the state. As a result of it millions of Bangladeshis who had fled to India from the Pakistani's Army's holocaust in which 1-3 million people were slain*, in the prelude to the 1971 war, could no longer return and reclaim their ancestral homes in the newly found state of Bangladesh. It was a political move, which forced the refugees to stay in India, thus conveniently offloading millions of people (of whom 80% were Hindu*), and acquire huge amounts of property.

More so, the new amendment to the law encouraged a new long and slow repression of Hindus, particularly at the behest of hardline Islamic clerics who wanted an infidel-free Bangladesh, and greedy politicians, who could redistribute confiscated property amongst themselves. All that needed to be done to acquire Hindu owned property was to forcibly evict the Hindus, through violence, and make them flee. As per the Vested Property Act it was easy for the local government to gain ownership and redistribute the property at will. Because politicians found it particularly easy to gain from this act, it was very difficult to repeal, even when the relatively progressive Awami League was in power. Due to this, the property vested between 1976 and 1991 was far greater than previously, when Bangladesh was East Pakistan. The law has been put to particular devastating effect against homes owned by women, as these were easier targets. It was estimated in the year 2000, that the land taken from Hindus in this manner totalled to 2.1 million acres, which would at current prices be worth $22,873 million (USA), accounting for some 40% of Hindu households of the country.

This systematic process is continuing till today, with particularly renewed vigour, after a new Bangladeshi coalition government came to power in October 2001. It included the ultra hardline Jamaat-e-Islami party, who were staunch supporters of the fallen Taliban regime of Afghanistan (who used to make Hindus wear yellow armbands to distinguish themselves) and who have held many pro-Bin Ladin rallies. This is all terrible news for the Hindus of Bangladesh whose population has already dwindled from over 25% to less than 9% today.

Much of the details of the long and painful story of how this law has been used against religious minorities in Bangladesh would not have been chronicled had it not been for a team of scholars led by a Professor of Economics at Dhaka University, Dr Abdul Barkat. The work began first in 1995, and a preliminary study was published in 1997. A more detailed account was published recently. Dr Barkat informed an interviewer that he had recently received threats on his life for conducting this study. We thank Dr Barkat for his water-shed study, highlighting one of the most systematic constitutional oppressions in modern history.

We demand the removal of the oppressive Vested Property Act, which has no reason to exist except for the brutal repression of Bangladeshi Hindus, which has gone on unopposed for too many years, and call on others to support us in trying to emancipate their suffering.

Please help support us and join in our struggle to help put an end to this silent repression www.hinduhumanrights.org

* The estimated deaths of victims of the repression of the Pakistani army in the period of the 9 months prior to the outbreak of the 3rd Indo-Pak war is generally vary from 2 - 3 million, and the lowest estimated figure is 1 million. A serious and detailed study of this genocide has never been carried out, which is very unfortunate considering the extent of the severe toll on human life.

*The Pakistani Slaughter That Nixon Ignored , Syndicated Column by Sydney Schanberg, New York Times, May 3, 1994. Bangladesh A Country Study, Ed. J.Heitzman & R.L.Worden, 2nd Ed, Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, Publisher U.S. Army, 1989, pp.250,255

*Crisis in South Asia - A report by Senator Edward Kennedy to the Subcommittee investigating the Problem of Refugees and Their Settlement, Submitted to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, November 1, 1971, U.S. Govt. Press, pp.6-7.