Remove discrimination against Harijans

Source: The Daily Star News

Speakers at the triennial council of Bangladesh Harijan Oikya Parishad (BHOP) yesterday called for removal of discrimination against Harijans or low-caste Hindus.

Speaking as the chief guest, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan pledged to work towards ensuring their rights.

"I know, you have a lot of problems such as low and discriminatory pays, lack of facilities and job insecurity. But I tell you this government is pro-people and believes in equal rights of all as enshrined in the constitution. We shall raise your issue in the next parliament session," he said.

BHOP organised the council in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation and FAIR, a local NGO, on the Dhakeswari National Temple premises in the city.

There are around 15 lakh Harijans in Bangladesh and mostly they work as cleaners of city corporations and municipalities. But their wages are very low -- ranging from Tk 600 to Tk 1200, BHOP leaders said.

As people consider them 'untouchable', they undergo immense sufferings in public places. They live in the colonies dubbed as 'sweeper colony'. Even when someone gets highly educated and applies for jobs, they are not invited for tests because of their status, they noted.

Shahjahan Khan, also an adviser to Madaripur chapter of BHOP, said, "We all -- Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Muslims -- fought together during the liberation war. We all are equal."

But society is cheating the Harijan community, he said, adding that the prime minister herself wants to eliminate all discrimination from society.

Addressing as special guest, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin MP said there should not be any discrimination among people in society. This government is working to end all discrimination.

BHOP Secretary General Nirmal Chandra Das said Harijans keep the cities and towns clean, but they are forced to live in shabby and congested colonies.

"Nowadays, people from other communities are filling up the posts of sweepers in the city corporations and municipalities in exchange for bribes," Das said.

He demanded that the wages of sweepers be increased considering the market price and uniformity be maintained in all the city corporations and municipalities in this regard.

Manusher Jonno Foundation Programme Manager Rezwanul Karim said the government should frame a law to remove all discrimination against them.

Akhtaruzzaman of FAIR, Kazal Debnath of Dhaka Mahanagar Puja Udjapon Committee, and Harijan district and divisional level leaders from across the country also spoke.

Ethnic minority people demand CID probe of Kartik Kisku murder

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation & New Age

Nov 2nd, 09: Ethnic minority people in Rajshahi on Sunday demanded immediate arrest of and punishment for the killers of their elderly leader Kartik Kisku.They made the demand from an hour-long human chain participated by over a hundred indigenous people under the banner of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad from 11:00 am.Their leaders also demanded CID investigation into Kisku’s murder in village Joyda Adarpara under Godagari upazila of the district last week.Addressing the human chain, leaders of the ethnic people said hired goons of local influentials and land grabbers had killed Kartik Kisku, 65, who was a leader of the Jatiya Adibashi Parishad.Kisku went missing Tuesday afternoon. Locals found his body in a canal on Wednesday.The speakers also complained that incidents of such killings and attack on ethnic minority communities had increased in the northern region in the recent times.They also called upon the administration to take steps to protect their lives and property from the land grabbers.They expressed grave concern that organised gangs, backed by local influential people, were killing ethnic minority people and driving them out from their homesteads in a planned way.They also alleged that the influential people of the area were trying to cover up the incident and criticised the police for their inaction.

Tripura woman raped by miscreants at Sonaichari in Chittagong

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

On 30 October 2009 an indigenous Tripura woman (19 years) was become a victim of gang raped in Sonaichari of Sitakunda under Chittagong district. It is learnt that, in the hilly region of Keshabpur of Sonaichari Union under Sitakunda upazila (sub-district) a 19 years young girl from Rangamati (who was there to visit their relatives) was gang raped by local Union Parishad (Local government council councilor) member Jahur and his 7 associates. Forcefully she was taken by them in the hilly region at evening.She was recovered by her relatives unconsciously at next morning and then taken to Sitakunda police station. After filling a case at Sitakunda police station she was examined by doctors.Case was filled against Jahur Member (45), Suman (28), Hannan (32), Nuruzamman (42), Shamim(32), Selim (34) and Mona (45). All of them were inhabitant of Keshabpur village under Sonaichari Union of Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong district. It is mentionable that Sitakunda area is exclusively indigenous Tripura inhabitant area especially in mountain region of Sitakunda and very unfortunately it has become a common feature of this area. They are very poor and depend on forest resources.

Tripura school teacher sexual abused by Bengali settlers in Panchari

Source: Kapaeeng Foundation

On 18 October 2009 at 11.00 am a pre-primary school teacher of UNICEF Para Kendra (16 years) of village Sindhu Karbari Para of Waduk Para of Panchari Mouza under Panchari upazila (sub-district) of Khagrachari district was abused by two unknown Bengali settler while taking bath near the stream. It is learnt that while taking bath in stream suddenly two Bengali settlers came and made tighter her mouth and show knife and tried to rape her but due to shouting of victim culprit were fled away. Unfortunately she was not able to mention their name but confess that, those settler’s faces were known to her.A FIR was lodged in Panchari police station and she was sent to Khagrachari sadar hospital for medical test. Local Tripura community leader Mr. Shushil Jibon Tripura, General Secretary of Bangladesh Tripura Kalyan (Welfare) Samsad (BTKS), Mr. Sukanta Tripura, Organizing Secretary of BTKS Headman Khetra Mohan Roaza, Chairperson of Durbar Network Shefalika Tripura, General Secretary of Khagrapura Mahila Kalyan Samity (KMKS) Shapla Tripura, Kuheli Chakma of Durbar Network, Advocate Anupam Chakma, Legal Adviser of Zabarang Kalyan Samity, Pramod Bikash Tripura, EX President of Tripura Student Forum, Bangladesh, Joytee Tripura, Office Secretary of BTKS has visited her in hospital.After completing some formalities she was sent to Khagrachari Judicial Magistrate Court and it is learnt that a case was filled in Judicial Magistrate Court, Khagrachari.

Indigenous people stage long march in 8 dists for rights

Primary Source: Kapaeeng Foundation
Secondary Source: The DailyStar

Thousands of indigenous people yesterday joined long marches in Natore, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Pabna, Bogra, Joypurhat, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts to press home their demand for forming a separate land commission to protect land rights of the indigenous people living in plain lands.

Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (JAP) organised the programmes.

Several hundred people marched about 30 kilometres from Kakonhat to reach Rajshahi deputy commissioner's office at around 2:00pm, reports our staff correspondent from Rajshahi.

They held a rally on the DC office premises and submitted a memorandum demanding formation of a separate land commission to resolve the land-related problems of the indigenous people of plain lands.

The indigenous people demanded stopping occupation of their lands in the name of land survey and using forged deeds.

Proper investigations should be carried out to resolve the land related problems in the plain lands, they said.

JAP President Anil Marandi led the demonstration in Rajshahi.

Thakurgaon unit of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad yesterday submitted memorandum to the prime minister through Thakurgaon deputy commissioner demanding their constitutional rights and formation of a separate land commission for the indigenous people of plan land, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.

Indigenous people have suffered discriminations in different fields as the government did not pay proper attention to their cause, speakers said at the discussion organised by the indigenous people in front of the deputy commissioner's office.

Urging the government to save the indigenous people's land from grabbers, they said all fake documents prepared to occupy indigenous people's lands should be declared illegal.

They demanded withdrawal of all false cases against indigenous people.

After a procession that paraded different streets in the town, the participants started for Birol upazila under Dinajpur district where indigenous people from 16 districts of the northern region will attend a huge rally today.

Our Pabna correspondent adds: Jatiya Adivasi Parishad yesterday brought out a procession in Pabna town and submitted memorandum to the prime minister through the deputy commissioner's office demanding steps to establish rights of indigenous people living in plain lands.

Several hundred indigenous people joined a procession from the premises of Pabna Tarash Bhaban at noon.

After parading the main streets in the town, they held a protest meeting in front of Pabna Deputy Commissioner's Office.

President of district unit of JAP Ram Prashad Mahato chaired the protest meeting where indigenous leaders Jaleshar Mahato, Jagannath Mahato, Filip Samaddar Khakan, Suruti Mahato, Aloka Mahato spoke, among others.

The indigenous people contributed to making the land fertile but now they are neglected in their own country, speakers said at the meeting.

Indigenous people are becoming landless as criminals with the help of a section of officials are grabbing their lands, they said.

They demanded establishment of a separate land commission for the indigenous people living in plain lands so that they can live with dignity, maintaining own tradition and culture.

Human Chain, Rally: Punish rapist of Satkhira speech impaired girl

Source: The Daily star

Several hundred people yesterday joined a human chain and a rally in the town demanding punishment to the rapist and abductors of a hearing and speech impaired girl and protection of the victim's family members and case witnesses.

A good number of physically and mentally challenged men and women also joined the human chain on Satkhira-Kaliganj road in front of Satkhira Collectorate Building.

Satkhira Pratibandhi Punarbasan Kalyan Samity, Bangladesh Pratibandhi Punarbasan Kalyan Samity and National Alliance of Disabled People's Organisations jointly organised the programme.

After getting released on bail, the two main charge-sheeted accused in the case for abduction and rape of the girl are now threatening the complainant and witnesses not to proceed further with the case, speakers told the rally.

They urged the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of Satkhira to take steps for ensuring security of the complainant and witnesses and punishment of the culprits.

Daughter of a rickshaw van driver of Dakkhin Sreepur village in Kaliganj upazila, the 16-year-old hearing and speech impaired girl worked as a maid at a house in the same village.

Bangladesh: Land Grabbers set fire on three Hindu Families at Sighra Upazila, Natore

One person roasted alive

Source: The Daily Sambad

Influential Land grabbers set fire on three Minority families at night belonging to Hindus at village- Tajpur- Singhra Upazila of Natore District of BANGLADESH on 02.11.2009. The perpetrators also blocked the doors and windows under lock from outside sprinkling petrol on their houses. The perpetrators tried to kill those members of three Hindu families to grab Deity’s properties belonging to Hindus.

Raj Behari Ghosh (90) was sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital as his burn injury tossing about in pain was reported to be worse. Today (04.11.2009) it is reported by local police that Raj Behari Ghosh expired at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital due to such attack.

The dwelling houses belonging to Hindu families 1) Ratan Ghosh 2) Nripen Ghosh 3) Batbehari Ghosh was burnt to ashes. The perpetrators, having been enlarged on bail from criminal cases, took revenge on those Hindu families.

Because, recently on 24^th October, 09 with the leadership of an advocate Sajedur Rahman Khan and Union Parishad Member –Hasib of village -Tajpur with their hoodlums attacked 12 Hindu dwelling houses physically assaulting twenty three, destroyed houses, looted belongings. Besides, a woman was also sexually assaulted.

Those Hindu victims tried to intercept perpetrators, at the time of forceful occupation of 200 decimals of Deity’s (Debottor) landed properties recently on 24^th Oct.09. In this connection Mr.Sreebash Halder filed criminal cases against 33 perpetrators at local police station. Those perpetrators having been enlarged on bail from the court attacked again on those Hindu families on 2^nd of November, 09 as symbol of retaliation.

In this connection a sense of insecurity amongst the Minority communities are going on.

Mr.Rafiqul Islam, the Superintendent of Police, Natore visited the spot.

He also assured victim of persecution that within three days the perpetrators would be arrested.

In this connection Mr.Nagendra Nath Ghosh lodged first information report (FIR) against those 20 perpetrators at Singhra police station being Sighra P.S. case No. 05 dated 02.11.2009 against perpetrators under section 447/448/326/307/436/385/387/379/506(ii) and 109 of Penal code. Police was deployed at the spot and police informed that the present situation is under control.