Atrocities Against Minorities in Bangladesh


Visit to Satkhira, Khulna

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A special Report by Rabindra Ghosh,

Volunteer, HRCBM-Dhaka, Bangladesh


Copy Rights Notice: All Rights Reserved, HRCBM 2002

 

Date 21st June, 2002

Visit to Khalash Kali, Tala

I, on behalf Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), Dhaka, Bangladesh visited Satkhira district of Bangladesh on June 21st, 2002 and stayed there until 22nd June, 2002 for investigation of the incidents of repression upon the religious minorities and visited various spots, collected information of torture and persecution on the Minorities on different dates which are as follows:


On 20th June 2002, I (Rabindra Ghsohs) started journey for Satkhira District town at night by bus from Dhaka and reached Sathkira at 7 a.m. on the next morning i.e. 21st June, 2002. I took a room in Satkhira Hotel at 8 a.m. and first of all contacted and met with Superintendent of Police, Sathkira who assured me for security arrangement. There after I visited to Satkhira Press Club to discuss with some reporters of different newspapers (leading national daily newspapers). Fortunately I got hold of Mr. Abu Ahmed, President of Sathkira Press Club who introduced Shri Subash Chowdhury, Ex. President of Satkhira Press Club, Shri Kalyan Banerjee, Correspondent of “Prothom-Alo”, Shri Ram Krishna Chakrabarty, Correspondent of “Jugantor”, Shri Dilip Kumar Deb, Staff Reporter of “Manab Jamin”, Mr. Tuhin Sanzid, Photo Journalist and Secretary of Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association, Satkhira and Mr. Habibur Rahman of “Ajkerkagoj”. All the press reporters appraised me the present and past situation of minority persecution one after another and they helped me visiting some important spots, and for that I, on behalf of HRCBM-Dhaka have thanked them for their sincere co-operation.


Picture (courtesy of HRCBM-Dhaka): Rabindra Ghosh taking video interview of the Officer in Charge at Kaliganj under Sathkira who has admitted reports of atrocities against minorities in the district.

On the morning of 21st June, 2002, I along with Shri Ram Krishna Chakrabarty, Correspondent of daily “Jugantor” hired a taxi and went to the spot “Khalash Khali” a village under Tala police station about 38 kilometer away from Sathkira town where a group of miscreants namely Md. Khalil, Md. Hafizur Rahman, Md. Saifur, Md. Khali, Md. Abdul Hussain, Md. Sattar, Md. Mottar and Md. Eklash Mia jointly with infuriated intention and ill motive purported to have been produced a deed of “Power of Attorney” authorizing some of the miscreants to sell the entire property of the then zaminder (landlord) Shri Chatterjee. We reached at Kahalash Khali village in the house of Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee (50) the only legal heir of landlord Shri Chatterjee and daughter of the late landlord. We have interrogated almost all the inmates of the zaminder house. Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee told us that she is the only legal heir of all the properties of her father; as her elder brother is handicapped and unable to speak even, the High Court declared to be the legal heir of all zaminder estates and she also showed us the copy of High Court order for our perusal. But she told us that some of the miscreants with ill motive, considering her an orphan, produced a fraudulent deed and purported to have been signed by Mrs. Chatterjee with false signature of her. On the basis of the fraudulent deed the miscreants broke into the house of Mrs. Chatterjee a week ago and forcefully occupied the house and also confiscated the land of Mrs. Chatterjee. According to eyewitness and Mrs. Chatterjee and she was compelled to leave the country forever. I saw some sign of injury on the back of one woman Mrs. Sandhya Rani Chatterjee, a relative of Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee. I spoke with a number of victims of torture and inmate of the household who told me that the miscreants wanted them to be evicted out of the zaminder (landlord) house. The miscreants wanted Mrs. Chatterjee to leave the country and stay at India. It is to be noted that Mrs. Chatterjee visit India occasionally for pilgrimage when miscreants increase attacks on the inmates of the household taking the opportunity Mrs. Chatterjee’s leave of absence. Mrs. Chatterjee was threatened and compelled to leave the country for many times. I discussed the matter with SP of police who told me that illegal occupants/miscreants have been warned and in the meantime, those illegal occupants were compelled to get out of the property by police. It has come to our attention that the miscreants wanted to dispossess Mrs. Chatterjee with a view to grab the whole property.


Picture (Courtesy of HRCBM-Dhaka): The picture depicts the ongoing atrocities at Khalash Khali under Tala P.S. The picture shows a number of victims became unconscious due to severe attack on them by the miscreants. People are pouring water on the head of the victims to bring them to life.

 

Picture (Courtesy of HRCBM-Dhaka): The picture shows trail of destruction, the miscreants attack the land of Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee at Khalash Kali, they have cut down trees and ruined the vegetable garden.

 

We have seen the proof, learned and given to understand that local MP (Member of Parliament) and BNP (ruling party) leader Md. Habibur Islam Habib is in collusion with the miscreants to grab the land.
The victim Mrs. Chatterjee told us that Md. Meher member a government official has forcefully taken her passport and not returning it perhaps in the motto to identify her as not Bangladesh citizen but illegal alien.

As a result it has become a complicated question of fact and also threat upon Chatterjee family has increased. While talking with the SP of police of Sathkira, he has assured me that until and unless the so-called “Power of Attorney (the fraudulent one)” is found to be genuine by the court of law, the miscreants will not be able occupy the properties of Mrs. Dipti Chatterjee.

We thereafter went to the investigating officer Mr. Md. Ruhul Amin who is investigating the case of Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee and her family. A criminal case (Tala P.S. Case Number 8 dated 11.06.02) filed by Shri Arbindu Chatterjee against Matiar Sardar, Md. Atiar Sardar and 16 others on behalf of Mrs. Dipti Rani Chatterjee under section 143/447/324/427/379 of the Bangladesh penal code for illegal trespass, cutting trees and assaulting inmates of the house. The said sub-inspector of police assured us that the matter is still under investigation the justice will be mete out after thorough investigation and he will not do favor to any mighty person in the locality. But it seems to me that the investigating officer Mr. Md. Ruhul Amin is not impartial and not truthful to his words and he is aiding to the greedy persons who are still trying to fish in the troubled water. In the view of the present situation, Mrs. Chatterjee told me that she is an orphan having nobody to look after the matter and she is under constant threat from the miscreants. She urged for legal aids. We returned from the Tala to Satkhira town at 4:30 p.m. on the same day and again met with the reporters of various newspapers.

 

Visit to Kaliganj P.S.


I hired a taxi to visit Kaliganj to investigate the incident took place at Fatepur. On 22nd, June 2002, I along with Shri Ram Krishna Chakrabarty of Jugantor and Mr. Tuhin Sanzid, photo (contd. next page..)


Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): Mr. Ghosh is discussing the cases of the atrocities against minorities  in Kaliganj with the OC of the Kaliganj Police station.

 

journalist went to talk with Mr. Md. Ohidul Islam, Officer in Charge of Kaliganj Police Station 14 kilometer away from Satkhira town on the basis of the report published in national dailies such as “Jugantor”, “Janakantha” and “Vorer Kagaj” dated 6th June, 2002 that Shri Gobinda Lal Sardar and his mother Mrs. Sundhari Sardar of Fatepur within Kaliganj police station were mercilessly beaten by accused Muslem Ali Gazi, a Jamait-Islami leader of the locality. The mother and son of the Sadar family were unclothed and dragged out of their house tied up with rope and beaten up on the way to the torture cell of the accused Jamait Islami leader. The notorious Jamait leader Mr. Gazi run a torture cell to torment minority victims such as Sardar family to evict them out of the property and the country. We could not visit the house of victim Govind Lal Sardar as constant rainfall continued and the place of occurrence is 10 kilometer away from Kaliganj police station and the road has become muddy and not accessible to the spot. I discovered that local BNP leaders are annoyed with case being filed against the accused. I asked the OC of Kaliganj PS as to impart me when the charge sheet will be filed against the said miscreant Md. Ohidul Islam. He imparted me that it would be done within a week or so.


Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): Advocate Ghosh taking video interview of another local Jamait leader Md. Gaffar (Chairman of Union Parishad) who is accused to have been forcefully occupied land of minorities. His interview reveals that he is under the impression that Hindu lands are enemy properties and hence, he has the right to confiscate the lands of Hindus.

 

We came back from Kaliganj to Satkhira at 6:30 p.m. after taking full video interview of the OC of Kaliganj that can be used latter for any required action.

 

Investigation on Kidnap of minor Hindu Girl At Satkhira

While we are discussing in the Press Club on 22nd June, 2002 in the evening, one Mr. Gour Mohan Chatterjee son of late Surendra Nath Chatterjee, old Satkhira, Madrasha para of Satkhira town rush into the press club and told me that his daughter was kidnap by one Sheikh Abdul Alim son of Md. Abdul Matin of Madrasa para on 30th October, 2001. A case (GD number 683 dated 15/12/2001) was filed but no action is yet taken by the police. Till date police has not recovered his daughter Ms. Moushumi Chatterjee. HE also stated that Md. Matin the father of the accused has threatened him with dire consequences if any case is filed against his son. I went to the house of Shri Gour Mohan Chatterjee and interrogated Mrs. Sandhya Chatterjee mother of Ms. Moushumi Chatterjee and she said the same story as Moushumi’s father old me. According to the mother, her 15 year old daughter Moushumi, a student of class X was kidnap October 30th, 2001 and till date she has not been recovered by the police. Mrs. Chatterjee showed me an anonymous letter written by the family member of the accused that if Chatterjee family is failed to pay a ransom of Taka 500000.00 Sumon Chatterjee, son of Mr. Chatterjee will be killed. 

I, on behalf of HRCBM assured her that HRCBM would do everything legally possible to apprehend the accused and recover their daughter.  It is very strange that the accused is an active cadre of local Awami League (the leading opposition party of Bangladesh).

  

Forceful occupation of Hindu land by Jamait leader in Kaliganj

 

During my visit at Kaliganj I detected a person who is the Chairman of Kaliganj Union Parishad and leader of Jamait Islami of the locality who is accused of forcefully occupying the land of Hindus in the name of “Enemy Property (Vested Property Act)”.


Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): Advocate Ghosh taking the interview of Jamait Islami leader who has forcefully occupied the lands of local Hindu population.

It is to be noted that “Enemy (Hindu) Property Act was passed by then East Pakistan government in 1965 which was renamed in 1972 as “Vested Property Act” without changing it at all by the independent Bangladesh government by the order of the then President of Bangladesh. Latter in 2001 “Vested Property Act” was repealed by Awami league as a political tokenism (as stated by South Asian Human Rights Group, having special consultative status at UN). It is a very sad matter that the “Enemy or Vested Property Act” is still causing the nightmare of country’s Hindu community.

Anyway, I asked the Local Jamait leader Mr. Gaffar why he is occupying minority land which he think a legal property of him endowed by government to him as a part of confiscated land under “Vested Property Act”. I asked the paper work of government lease on the subject matter. The paper he submitted was false which Officer in Charge at Kaliganj police station investigated and found fraudulent.

  

Co-operation from the local newspaper reporter of Satkhira Press Club

 I got full co-operation from Satkhira Press Club who most sincerely helped me visiting two different spots at ground zero, although the spots were far away from Satkhira town. I was able to collect information about dozens of incidents of torture against minority community at Satkhira which will be published in a latter date. I am also thankful to police administration for helping me to investigate the situation of communal persecution and repression on the minority community at Satkhira. Police administration at Satkhira has also imparted me with the details of five cases which are pending for further investigation.