Tribunal demanded for trial of minority attackers

Source: UNB Connect

Dhaka, Jan 10 (UNB) – Rights activists and civil society members at a rally here on Friday urged the government to constitute a tribunal to bring those involved in communal attacks on minority communities to justice.

They said the victims always seek justice but a vested quarter is carrying out attacks on minorities because of impunity, and the situation is getting worse day by day.

Nagorik Sanghati, a civil society platform, oragnised the rally in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh in the morning protesting the attacks on minorities after the January 5 parliamentary polls.

Chaired by Nagarik Sanghati president ASM Atiqur Rahman, the rally was addressed, among others by former general secretary of Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta) Dr Akhteruzzaman, filmmaker Moshiuddin Shaker, Engr Sardar Amin, farmers’ leader Anwarul Islam Babu and Nagarik Sanghati general secretary Sharifuzzaman Sharif.

They said the communal force had carried out attacks on members of the Hindu community during the Liberation War in 1971 and they are still active and making attacks on the Hindus and their worship places.

They said the anti-liberation force, Jamaat-Shibir, and its allies are involved in the recent communal attacks taking advantage of the existing political instability.

They demanded that the attackers be brought under trial immediately apart from providing compensations among the victims as they have been living a miserable life after the attacks.

The January 5 election reminded the vulnerable minority community of the brutal treatment it received 43 years ago at the hands of marauding Pakistani forces and their local cohorts.

The Hindus in particular have become the easy target of anti-election activists as they attacked their houses and other property, assuming that they have voted for the ruling Awami League ignoring their directive to refrain from doing so.

Most of the attacks took place in the minority-dominated villages of Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jessore districts after the 10thgeneral election.