Christian Evangelist beaten to death in Bangladesh

Photo (courtesy: modernghana.com): Police officer Wahid being interviewed by the author about the murder of Swopon Mondol. (Photo Dipal Barua)

Source: Modernghana.com

Url: http://www.modernghana.com/news/239430/1/christian-evangelist-beaten-to-death-in-bangladesh.html

A Baptist youth minister and evangelist of the Free Christian Churches of Bangladesh was found seriously wounded in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, on Dhaka University's campus, in the evening of Sept. 12, 2009. Free Christian Churches of Bangladesh has been active for 25 years and has 320 churches and 30,500 members.

The church has faced severe problems during the second Iraq War, and, at various times, evangelists were persecuted. Police Sub-inspector Mohammed Wahid, of the Sahabag police station, said, "On Sept. 12, at around 8 p.m., I got a message that an unidentified man was found seriously wounded outside of Suhrawardi Park.

I rushed to the scene and found the wounded man, and immediately took him to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, we came to learn from him that his name is Swopon Mondol and that he is a worker of Free Christian Churches of Bangladesh. His wife, Lucky Mondol, came to the hospital when she was informed about the incident.

I left him at the hospital for treatment since his wife was there. Later, I came to know that Mondol died at 12:10 p.m., meaning in the early hours of Sept. 13."From local people, I came to know that Swopon Mondol and three or four people with him ran after some Dhaka University students over the issue of a theft. One of the students ran to the nearby campus and brought more students, who then beat Mondol brutally, until he fell down onto the floor."Lucky Mondol, the wife of the dead Christian evangelist, said, "My only son, Diptoo (age 10), and I rushed to the hospital. Some youth came to the hospital and wanted money, threatening me. My husband was fighting for his life, and this group of violent youths were threatening me and demanding 1400 taka, saying that my husband stole one of their mobile phones. I found myself helpless. I prayed for my husband."

I am afraid to file a police report. Who will guarantee my safety and give me money to pay for the case? I don't doubt that the violent people who beat my husband brutally and even came to the hospital afterward might kill me if I file a police report. And now it's a challenge for me and my son Diptoo to even survive, because my husband was the only earning member of our family." Sulekha Mondol, Mondol's sister, said, "We are so poor, and we are in the minority. My brother Swopon was very pious and very patient. He preached the good news of Christ, yet such a good man was killed like an animal. Now we are afraid, and we don't feel safe. Many Christian evangelists have been killed, and no one has gotten justice. On Sept. 13, we buried my brother in fear and hoping for justice in our village. We could hardly arrange for the money to bury my brother and transport his body from the hospital to our village in Khulna."

Bishop Albert P. Mirdha of Free Christian Churches of Bangladesh said, "Swopon Mondol was really a very active church worker over the last 14 years, and we are all shocked by his murder. Minorities are not safe in Bangladesh."Human rights activist Annie Halder said, "According to Art. 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,' and, according to Art. 3, 'everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.' Here, we have seen that there is no security of life and that the Christian evangelist was tortured like an animal."

Inspector Wahid said, "I have been working for the police for a long time, and when I saw Mondol, he looked like a simple and gentle man. I can't imagine that he would steal anyone's mobile phone. Recently, at Dhaka University, some violent students have been harassing innocent people, and, in this case, a gentle man was brutally tortured and killed. A source has told us that the group of students were from Mohasin Hall and were led by Mohammed Rajan".

"Bangladesh / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com
Source: William Gomes

Bangladesh Destroys Hinduism, Buddhism: The Seoul times

Islamization Blamed on UK for Partition of British India

By Lee Jay Walker Tokyo
The Seoul Times Correspondent
The Seoul Times
Url: http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=8777


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.

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.

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.

Bangladesh: Minority "Tripuri" girl raped by Bengali Muslim settler in Sindukchari

Submitted by: Kapaeeng Foundation
On 13 September 2009 a Tripura girl (18 years) of Manjoy Karbari Para of Sindukchari area under Mahalchari upazila in Khagrachari district was tried to rape by a Bengali settler named Md. Alamgir (27) s/o Altaf Munsi of Muslim Para of Sindukchari area.
It is learnt that on that day around 11.00 am victim was taking lunch for her father at Jum field of Choto Mura Para under Sindukchari, at that time Md. Alamgir blocked her and tried to be closed by talking with the victim. But failing to be closed, Alamgir first hit victim from the back that cause to falling lunch basket from hand of victim. At this stage, victim tried to run for escaping, but Alamgir caught her from the back.
At a stage of scuffle, victim became naked and was pulled to the bottom of hill of Paisongchara. Then Alamgir tried to rape and kill by holding victim’s throat tight. Hearing the shouts, victim’s father Shaheed Kumar Tripura proceeded toward the spot. Sensing the present of victim’s father, Alamgir rapidly left the spot. Victim sustained several injuries including nose and mouth. After rescuing his daughter, victim’s father Mr. Matindra Kumar Tripura went to the office of the Sindukchari union and put objection before the chairman and members of the union. At that time, Mr. Rashedul Islam Bhuiyan, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Guimara police station was also present at Sindukchari union office. But he did not take any action against the culprit. Victim filed a case under section 10 of Women and Children Repression (Amendment) Act of 2003 against Md. Alamgir on 13 September 2009.
But police did not arrest the culprit so far.Durbar Network and several women organisation organised press conference protesting violence against Jumma women including following three incidents, such as- (1) rape of Chakma woman (20 yrs) with disabilities by Grameen Bank named Nazrul Islam in Dighinala on 31 July 2009, (2) killing of Ponemala Tripura by Bengali settlers on 3 September 2009 at Sindukchari and (3) rape and kidnapping of Tripura girl (18 yrs) by Md. Alamgir on 13 September 2009.The rights groups demanded arrest and trial of Bengali settlers involved with these incidents.

Bangladesh: Marma girl raped and then kidnapped by Bengali Muslim settler in Sindukchari

Report submitted by: Kapaeeng Foundation

On 4 September 2009 an orphan Marma girl (13 years) of Nakbai Para of Sindukchari area under Mahalchari upazila in Khagrachari district was raped and then kidnapped by Bengali settler named Md. Ripan (35) s/o Shahjahan Patowari of Zianagar village under Manikchari upazila in Khagrachari district.It is learnt that Md. Ripan, a construction labour who has two wives was brought as labourer by Mr. Babul contractor Tintahari village of Manikchari upazila to work for construction of culvert of Drung stream at Nakbai village under Sindukchari union. The victim along her family lives near the Drung stream.
Md. Ripan frequently visits victim’s house in the name of drinking of water.On 4 September 2009 victim’s mother Ms. Myama Marma went to the Pathachara Buddhist temple to attend the funeral ceremony of the monk leaving victim alone at the house. By taking advance of this opportunity, Md. Ripan entered the house of victim and offered victim to go with him for searching job at garment factory.
At a stage, Md. Ripan raped the victim and then kidnapped forcefully. Victim was taken to Noakhali district. On 14 September 2009 two constables named Md. Rafiq and Tajul Islam arrested Md. Ripan along with the victim in Noakhali while Md. Ripan along the Marma girl was suspiciously moving there. Md. Ripan and victim were handed over to the Guimara police station on 15 September 2009. On that day, victim’s mother Ms. Myama Marma filed a raping and kidnapping case under section 10 of Women and Children Repression (Amendment) Act of 2003 against Mr. Ripan on 15 September 2009.
On 16 September statement of the culprit Md. Ripan and the victim was taken by the judicial magistrate court of Khagrachari district.On 15 September the victim was taken to Khagrachari district hospital for medical check-up. But the medical report is yet to be received.

Bangladesh Hindus Want Rights And Justice Not Puja Dole

Tue, 2009-09-15 10:30 — editor
By Rabindranath Trivedi
Report: Asia Tribune

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.

- Asian Tribune -

Bangladesh: Criminals impede a hindu business man from seeking justice

Report: The daily Alor Jagat dated 8th September, 2009.
From our Khulna Correspondent:

Golak Chandra Mondal – a young businessman belonging to Hindu community of Paikgacha Upazila have become the victim of physical torture-intimidation committed by Abdullah, Mizan, Madhu Sheikh, Jagadish Pramanik and more 6-7 persons. Finding no other alternative he filed a case in the court against those perpetrators. The court directed the O.C. Paikgacha police to treat written complain as FIR.

It is also alleged in the FIR lodged by the victim said due to enmity some persons took false initiative to make the fabricated cases recorded against the victim and with the collusion of Delwar Hossain – a Sub-Inspector of police at the said police station. He also prayed for withdrawal of the false cases against him before the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Khulna requesting him for stopping continuous repression upon him by some persons aided by police officers Paikgacha P.S. The DIG of Police directed the S.P. Khulna for enquiry into allegations and as a result Delwar Hossain – S.I. of Police became angry with the victim. In this opportunity some extortionist with tacit help of dishonest police attacked the victim with arms 2 days before the enquiry on 1st and 2nd September, 09, but luckily the victim was saved. The victim also said that the extortionists claimed Taka 50,000/- and he paid taka 5,500/- to them and they also snatched away his Mobile set and thereafter Golak is absconding for fear of lives.

Adibashi Minority Families evicted unlawfully at Narail, Bangladesh

Report: The daily Alor Jagat dated 8th September, 2009.

A group of land grabbers forcefully evicted four Adibashi Minority Families from their peaceful possession of land and they sowed banana trees thereon. It is alleged that the land grabbers did not even allow the minority families to eat their foods during eviction.
Presently those family members are out of their homeland and fleeing for fear of lives. The incident took place on 5th September, 2009 at Chandibarpur Union of Sadar Upazila of Narail District. Detailed information has been collected from our correspondent Shariful Islam.
Facts of the case is that Sunil Biswas, Sreepati Biswas, Kartik Biswas, Ganesh Biswas and Tapan Biswas of same locality, by inheritance, got lands and living peacefully on 30 decimals of lands. But all on a sudden on 5th September, 09 Akbar Ali, Omar Ali, Rajan, Billal with more 20/25 attackers forcefully entered into their homesteads and evicted them with duress and threat. The perpetrators demolished their homesteads and sowed banana trees on the vacant land. The victim family member – Ms. Anima Biswas reported INB some months ago the perpetrators also cut mango trees, coconut trees etc. from the lands. Local Enayet Kazi informed that “we saw from my boyhood the Adibashi families are permanent inhabitants of this land”.
Ms.Malina Begum- on behalf of perpetrators informed INB that the lands in dispute were purchased by them some years ago. She also said Adibashi families left their homestead at their own accord and without any intervention.
In this connection Kartik Das lodged F.I.R. at local Sadar police station against 14 perpetrators. Police only arrested one Ramjan Kha of village Gandarba Khali.
Billal Hossain – Vice Chairman of Sadar Upazila told that he heard this forceful eviction and this act is surely a condemnable act. Law will take its own course if anybody found responsible for such eviction.
G.G. Biswas – Officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station informed that legal action is on process and responsible persons will be brought to book.
However, no action has been taken till writing this report