Violence against Minorities in Bangladesh; Recent Reports

Through HRCBM-BNC:

Threaten to kill to the rape victim’s family

The daily Jaijaidin, date- 30.04.09

A Hindu minor child of Mojllishpur village at Kosba in B’Baria has raped by Borhan (14) and Sabuj (12) on 23 April 2009. Firstly, she was admitted to the Thana Health Complex and later on B’Baria Sadar Hospital for her medical treatment after rescued by the local people. A case has been filed on 28 April 2009 at Kosba Police Station. The rapist and their companion are threatening to kill to the victim’s family for disposal of the case.

Three Christian families have ostracized for three years

The Daily Noyadigonto : Date 27.04.09

Safarin Charu Rojario was killed by neighbor Barnard Josep and Sunil on 1 December, 2005 for a trivial matter. Dinesh Gomes, Shyamol Rojario and Ilasir Rojario of Jonail Borni Christian Mission at Boraigram Upozila in Nator were the witnesses of that occurrence. As a result the, court sent warrant to Barnard Josep and Sunil. Only for this reason, dominant relatives of Barnard Josep and Sunil, namely Benjamin, Bimol, Ilias, Sudan, Hubard, Nirmol, Pachu Peter, and Santos, of the Christian community ostracized the said three families, Dinesh Gomes, Shyamol Rojario and Ilasir Rojario, from the society since 2005. These mentioned three families cannot pray in the Holly Church in the religious festival.

Dinesh Gomes arranged her daughter’s marriage last 23 February of 2009. However, the perpetrator group obstructed to execute that marriage in the Holly Church. Dinesh Gomes also informed to the related police station through a general daily (GD). Nonetheless, nothing has been happened against the perpetrators.

A Minority Student harassed at Kamalgong

The Daily Noyadigonto : Date 25. 04. 09

Sumita Rani, daughter of Gopal Das at Surjogram in Kamalgong, Moulavibazar, a student of Patonusa High School, had harassed by Momin Mia, son of Muslim Mia, and Kasem, son of Motin Mia, at Tilagor village on last 20 April 2009, while she was going back home. The perpetrators also attacked her home at night on that day.

A case has been filed against the perpetrator.

A Hindu collage student, victim of eve teasing, committed suicide at Agoiljhara, Barishal

The Daily Jugantor : Date 25.04.09

Sumi Rani Sarkar, daughter of Premanando Sarkar, at Nagar village of Agoiljhara, Barishal was a student of Jala Union Ilead Collage. Some local spoiled man often teased her at the way of collage. A group of people, by the leadership of Ripon Barai and Ashok Biswas, have pressurized to Sumi’s grandmamma Manda Rani and sister Protiva arranging marriage for Sumi and threaten to them whilst they denied their proposal. Later, they teased again on 21 April 2009, as a result Sumi committed suicide for releasing her parents’ family. No case has filed till date.

HRCBM's appeal: Help save Bipul Debnath

$25.00 - Support for Bipul Debnath $50.00 - Support for Bipul Debnath $100.00 - Support for Bipul Debnath

Bipul Kumar Debnath is a very talented poor Student. He is an English Honors 1st year student of Dhaka Collage. He has passed in the S. S. C and H. S. C Examination with both GPA-5 or Grade A+. Now he is attacked Multiple Exostosis all over the body (Multiple Bone Increase), Left humerus swelling increase in size last 5 months. Bipul Debnath have now treatment under Dr. Manassen Nithyananth of Christian Medical College , Ida Scudder Road • Vellore 632004 • Tamil Nadu • India. Doctor advice is, this problem will be remove must operation immediately. But his Father is a very poor tea sealer. His family members are five. We know he can’t provide total treatment cost 2 (Two) Lac Bangladesh Taka approximate.
Please find attached appeal . You can know details information and medical report of Bipul Kumar Debnath.

Invitation to HRCBM's Panel Discussion on Violence against women and Girls in Bangladesh

http://www.hrcbm.org/
Ph: 212-592-3627
Fax: 619-330-0662

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities
Organizes Panel Discussion
On
“Violence Against Minority Women & Girls in Bangladesh”
at

CSW 53: NGO Parallel Events 2009
Friday, March 6th, 10 AM to 11:30 AM
UN Church Bldg., 777 UN Plaza, 8th Floor, NY, NY11007
(First Avenue between 43rd and 44th street)

“Although violence against women and girls is common phenomenon in Bangladesh, minority women and girls are increasingly subjected to brutal gang rape and religious/racial hate crime. Victims often complain of state sponsored apathy in applying stringent domestic law to protect women and girls in the minority community. That coupled with lack of International legal instruments to bring offenders to justice, minority women and girls, those who are victim of hate crime in Bangladesh, often suffer from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). HRCBM has observed an alarming proportion of those victims of hate crime are prone to commit suicide.
Despite HRCBM’s continued effort to help bring justice, the organization faces strong opposition from some of the governmental and non governmental entities. Therefore, it has become apparent that the organization initiates the discussion on the need for International Rights Instruments to protect the women and the children without prejudice.

HRCBM-Dinajpur's protests against 'madrasa' on temple land continue

Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW Friday, February 13, 2009 04:33 AM GMT+06:00 Print Friendly Version Published On: 2009-02-11 National Protests against 'madrasa' on temple land continue Dinajpur DC terms leasing illegal, promises steps to recover Kantajieu Temple's land OUR CORRESPONDENT, Dinajpur (Top) A silent procession demanding immediate steps to recover the grabbed land of Kantajieu Temple yesterday. (Bottom) A signboard, near the structure illegally erected on the land of Kantanagar Temple, popularly known as Kantajieu Mandir, claims the land as site for a madrasa. Photo: STAR Protests continue as 'madrasa rooms' illegally built on the deity land of historic Kantajieu Mandir, in Birganj upazila in the district, are yet to be removed. Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner Md Nabiul Haque Mollah, who is also chief of the Trustee Board on Kantajieu Temple Deity Land, at a meeting on the deity land yesterday said 'permanent leasing' of the deity land is illegal. “I will write to the Ministry of Land urging cancellation of the 'leasing deal' within two or three days if the land code does not give me power to cancel it,” he said at the meeting presided over by himself. On January 16, some people put corrugated iron sheets and bamboos on the deity land and hung a signboard in the name of Shantibagh Alhera Nurani Talimul Quran Madrasa there. On January 28, they built three rooms on the temple land under police protection although they did not have any valid land documents, locals said. Since then tension prevails in the area triggering series of protests. Dinajpur Chapter of World Hindu Federation, Human Right Congress For Bangladesh Minorities and Hindu Dharma Kalyan Trust yesterday brought out a silent procession demanding immediate steps to recover the grabbed deity land. According to the records of Birganj land office, Maharaja Jagadish Chandra Roy, son of Maharaja Girijanath Roy Bahadur, donated 16.53 acres of land to lord Kantajieu at Makrai under Birganj upazila as deity land of Kantajieu Temple. Records of Birganj upazila land office say that at least 85 decimals of 16.53 acres land was permanently leased out to Mohammad Nuhu of village Makrai under Birganj upazila in 1978-79. Md Shiddiqul Alam, president of the madrasa committee, said they purchased the land from Nuhu in 2007 but the land has not been registered due to complexities regarding the documents. Md Abu Raihan, assistant land commissioner of Birganj upazila, said there is no provision to permanently lease out any deity land to any person. Meanwhile, there are allegations of harassing minority people after Nuhu filed a case with Bigranj Executive Magistrate's Court on February 2 accusing four minority people of inciting his community members to build a Ram Temple on the madrasa land.

Bangladesh High Court ordered Rule Nisi on government hearing HRCBM writ on Vested Property Act

The High Court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh delivers its Rule Nisi upon the Government on the Enemy Property ( Continuance of Emergency Provision) ( Repeal) Act 1974 and subsequently promulgated Arpita Sampatty Protapyan Ain 2001 and cicular, administrative orders.

The order calls upon the respondent to show cause as to why instructions issued in the contents of presidential order 29 of 1972, act 45 and 46 of 1974, ordinance No. 92, 93 of 1976, Arpita Sampatty Protapyan Ain 2001 and circulars issued by government that are in contradiction with the fundamental rights and the charter of declaration of Independence of Bangladesh, 10 April 1971, should not be declared to be ultra vires the constitution.The Rule Nisi also stated why the properties so far incorporated in the list as Enemy (Vested) property should not be returned to the title holder/ successor/legal possession holders and or such other or further order or orders passed as to this Court may seem fit and proper.The Rule is made returnable within 4 weeks from the 28th October 2008.

This may be mentioned that as High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court bench comprising Mr Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Mr Justice Qumrul Islam Siddique deliver the Rule Nisi upon the Government of Bangladesh on 28 October 2008HRCBM- Bangladesh represented by its Secretary General Rabindranath Trivedi filed the Writ under Article 102 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.Former Deputy Attorney General Barrister Nikhilesh Dutta and Senior Advocate S N Goswami moved the case for the petition and Deputy Attorney General Mr Razik Al Jali for the respondents. This may be mentioned here that Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), an NGO possessing special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, has by its Bangladesh Chapter's Secretary General Mr Rabindranath Trivedi, who is an ex additional secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, filed a writ petition to the High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on the complete abolishment of Vested Property Act. It is alleged that interest groups of political parties in power and individuals by making use of this Vested Property Act, continue to confiscate properties belonging to the minority Hindu community, and indeed to do so with the complicity of the authorities and the influential people.The Vested Property Act represents a major source of insecurity and of human rights violation against the Hindu community in Bangladesh. It is clear that the Vested Property Act (VPA) is detrimental to minorities and to the religious harmony of Bangladesh.It may be recalled that VPA derives from the Enemy Property (Custody and Registration) Order II of 1965, promulgated in Pakistan following a brief war between India and Pakistan in September 1965. This order was directed against the Hindu minority (perceived as an enemy), and was used as an instrument for appropriating land belonging to Hindus accused of supporting India.After Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan, President of Bangladesh in his Order No-29 of 1972 ,changed the nomenclature to Vested Property Act, without altering the contain of the law. The Government of Bangladesh has, within the framework of this law, taken possession of property declared to belong to the enemy, by appropriating the property of members of the Hindu minority who had migrated to India, or by appropriating the property of people who were heirs or co –owners.It is learnt that the bench constituted with Justice Mr. Khademul Islam and Justice Mr Masuk Hossain Ahmed of High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, have received the writ petition for hearing.Former Deputy Attorney General of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a renowned lawyer Barrister Nikhilesh Dutta will move the writ case on behalf of the petitioner.

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Report on Situation of Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh

PCMS and HWF organise roundtable on national women dev policy and indigenous women's rights

Report Submitted by Kapaeeng Watch (A human rights group for indigenous peoples)
Jagannath Hall, Dhaka University Dhaka, Bangladesh
Aungkyew Mong, Coordinator
E-mail: kapaeeng.watch@yahoo.com

On 18 July 2008 Parbatya Chattagram Mahila Samiti (PCMS) and Hill Women's Federation (HWF) jointly organised roundtable conference on national women development policy and indigenous women's rights at VIP Lounge of national press club in Dhaka. Presided over by vice president of PCMS Ms. Jyotiprova Larma, the roundtable was attended by president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Aiyesha Khanam, general secretary of Bangladesh Economics Association Abul Barakat, Dhaka University teacher Dr. Sadek Halim and Dr. Meghna Guhathagurta, women affairs secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Dr. Dipumoni, president of Karmajibi Nari Ms. Shirin Akhter, human rights activist Rosaline Costa, president of Parbatya Chattagram Mahila Samity Madhabi Lata Chakma, general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum Sanjeeb Drong and president of Dhaka Journalist Association Shah Alamgir as discussant. On behalf of PCMS and HWF, Nishi Dewan read out a paper on national women development policy and indigenous women's rights. General Secretary of HWF Ms. Shashwati Chakma conducted the roundtable. The speakers of the conference urged the indigenous women to launch a united movement with the mainstream organisations to establish the rights of the indigenous women. They urged the major political parties to incorporate the issue of rights of the ethnic minority groups in their respective manifestos. The speakers criticised the government for not taking into consideration the indigenous women's rights while formulating the National Women Development Policy 2008.
The PCMS and HWF placed a 10-point charter of demands that included followings-

1. To insert a separate clause in the National Women Development Policy specifying the rights of the indigenous women;
2. To take opinions from indigenous women's organisations for the same;
3. To reserve seat in the parliament for the indigenous women;
4. To introduce reserved seats in the local government bodies for indigenous wome;
5. To ensure participation of the indigenous women in local and national developments;
6. To undertake special measure for education of indigenous women and introduce primary education through mother tongue for indigenous children;
7. To generate employments for indigenous women;
8. To provide special training to promote interpreteneurs for indigenous women and provide loans with less interest or without interest;
9. To take special measure for stopping violence against indigenous women; and
10. To implement policy agenda of PRSP with an aim to ensure socio-economic development of indigenous women.

Rat Invasion: Hill people still suffer from food shortage

The Daily Star, Friday, 25 July 2008
Indigenous people in many remote villages in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) will have to suffer from lack of food grains for at least two more months until the next harvest if the government does not provide them with food. Many families in the CHT districts including Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati are now living on wild potato, arum and green leaves after rats invaded the areas last year and early this year and destroyed all their crops leading to this famine-like situation. The government and donor agencies provided them with rice immediately after the rat invasion, but that was adequate for only a month or two, they said, adding that the next harvest is due in October. "It has become very hard for us to buy rice at Tk 30 per kg as we do not have any income here," said Thiam Khub, a Bowm from Ruma Thanchi village. People in Darjeelingpara, a Bowm village at the foot of the Keokradong, are living on boiled pumpkin leaves and rice. The family of Karbari (the village chief) said none in the villages can afford boiled leaves and rice more than twice a day. They said initially they bought rice selling their cattle and poultry. But now most of them have nothing left to sell. Following bamboo blossoming last year rats invaded many CHT areas and destroyed almost everything edible. This forced many indigenous people to leave their villages. Talking to the people from Ruma Thanchi, Sungsangpara, Anandapara, Wykangpara, it was learnt that rats ate all their rice, ginger, maize, turmeric, peppers, pumpkins, oil seeds and cotton. The government provided each family with 15 kg rice while the UNDP and World Food Programme provided 30 kg rice per family in the affected areas, the locals said. But the aid exhausted within two months or just one month in the case of a bigger family, they said. Mostly Bawm, Marma, Tripura and Murung communities live in these remote villages. These people generally grow everything they need and just have to buy kerosene and salt from the market. Thiam Khub now works in the jum and weaves. He said he can weave a "thurang" in two days and sell it for Tk 100 at Ruma Bazar, about eight hours' walk from his village. But with this amount he can hardly buy 3 kgs of rice. "I am having a very hard time because if I weave thurang, I cannot work on jum," he said. "We have already sold most of the cattle in our village to buy rice. Many of us now have nothing to sell and are living on wild potatoes, arum or other wild roots," said Chandiram Tripura of Anandapara. About the relation between rat infestation and bamboo blooming, wildlife expert Dr Reza Khan said rats lose their habitats when bamboo plants die after blooming. "So, the rats come out of the bamboo bushes and attack crops," he said. As bamboo generally blooms in 20-40 years, he suggested cleaning the bamboo bushes accordingly so that bamboo cannot bloom..

Involvement of ethnic minorities demanded to conserve forests
New Age, Dhaka, Friday, 25 July 2008

Academics, experts and environmentalists on Thursday stressed the need for amendment to the 81-year-old forest act by ensuring participation of the ethnic minority community people living in the forests for its effective conservation. They observed that the forest laws had become outdated and conservation of forests would not be possible without ensuring active participation of the ethnic minorities living there. 'The rights of adivasis to forests must be ensured through amendment to the forest laws,' Syeda Rizwana Chowdhury Hassan, programme director of the Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association, told a workshop on 'Madhupur Shal Forest and Rights of Adivasis' at CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka. The association arranged the workshop in collaboration with Joyenshahi Adivasi Unnayan Parishad. 'According to the preamble of the Forest Act 1927, the goal of the laws was not to conserve the forest. The law was formulated to serve the interest of the colonial rulers. It must be changed as it hinders the conservation process,' she said. She called upon the government to formulate laws that would institutionalise the rights of the ethnic minorities. The government's step to replace shal trees with alien species such as eucalyptus and acacia were resulting in gradual disappearance of Madhupur Shal Forest, she observed. Special assistant to the chief adviser Raja Debashis Roy said the government was mulling over brining amendment to in the forest laws. He urged all to create awareness among all of the issues so that the political governments could take effective steps to conserve the forests and ensure the rights of the ethnic minorities. Speaking on the occasion, Ain-o-Salish Kendra executive director Sultana Kamal said, 'The adivasis have remained deprived of justice for long both from the society and the state. Unless the rights of the people living in the forest can be analysed and understood properly, the problems will not be solved.' Atiq Rahman of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies said ethnic minority community people living in the forests need to be involved with the conservation of forests. Presenting a slide show on the rights of ethnic minorities on the forest laws, Professor Sadeka Halim said, 'Amendment to the Forest Act 1927 to provide different types of co-management should be done after consultation with the adivasis living in the forests and the civil society.' A proper review of land ownership and variety of other ownerships since the British rule and customary ownership is the prerequisite to the implementation of the social afforestation programme, she added. Conducted by Nijera Kari coordinator Khushi Kabir, the workshop was also addressed by former lawmaker Promod Mankin, adivasi leader Subhas Jeng Chaam, filmmaker Ronald Halder, Modhupur upazila nirbahi officer M Parvez Rahim, forest department director Shah-e-Alam and adivasi leader Sanjeeb Drong. Joyenshahi Adivasi Unnayan Parishad president Ajoy A Mree delivered the welcome speech.

Indigenous students demand higher quota in institutions
The Daily Star, Saturday, 26 July 2008

Adibasi Students' Association in Rajshahi University, an organisation for indigenous students, at a freshers' reception held at the university central cafeteria on Thursday urged the caretaker government for increasing quota of indigenous students at all educational institutions including the university. Association president Mukul Kisko presided the reception while it was attended by former president Arab Toppo as chief guest and former executive member Dipok Ekka as special guest. Indigenous students demanded their constitutional recognition and ensuring rights to education in their mother language. They urged the government to form a body to look into their problems including those of underprivileged communities. They demanded an equal opportunity like Bangalee students in educational and other government sectors. They urged the university authorities to ensure residential facilities for them as well as increasing their scholarships.

HRCBM's Litigation against Government of Bangladesh on Vested Property Act

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BANGLADESH
High Court Division
(SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)

WRIT PETITION NO. 6092 OF 2008.

IN THE MATTER OF

An application under Article 102 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

-AND-

IN THE MATTER OF :

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities, Bangladesh, represented by its Secretary General, Rabindranath Trivedi.
------------ Petitioner.

-VERSUS-

1. Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Ramna, Dhaka.
-2-
2. The Secretary, Ministry of Land, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka.

3. The Secretary, Ministry of Establishment, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka.
-------------- Respondents.

-and-

in the matter of:

The Enemy Property (Continuance of Emergency Provisions) (Repeal) Act, 1974 which received the assent of the then President of People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 1st day of July, 1974 and which was deemed to have come into force on the 23rd day of March, 1974 vide and subsequently promulgated Awc©Z m¤úwË cÖZ©¨vcb AvBb,2001 vide Annexure A & A1.
-3-
To,
Mr. Justice M. M. Ruhul Amin, the Honorable Chief Justice of Bangladesh Supreme Court and his Companion Justices of the said Hon’ble Court.

The humble petition on behalf of the petitioner above named most respectfully –

SHEWETH :

1. That the petitioner, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities, Bangladesh, represented by its Secretary General, Rabindranath Trivedi (former Additional Secretary, Government of Bangladesh) is a permanent citizen of Bangladesh and who is working to increase awareness about Human Rights and filling public interest litigation in case of violation of fundamental rights Human Rights.

Download the complete writ petition at http://hrcbm.org/news/VPA-litigation.pdf