URGENT APPEAL: Hindu Minority under attack in Bangladesh

Source: GHRD

This is an urgent appeal from GHRD.


10th May 2010,

The Hague, The Netherlands

URGENT APPEAL: Bangladesh: Hindu community attacked, physically assaulted and deprived from its property; alleged involvement of a member of the Bangladeshi Army. [UA-BA-10-05-2010]

ISSUES: Physical assault against minority members, including children; property violation and theft.

Dear Friends,

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) is investigating another attack against the Hindu community in the Manikgonj District, where at least twelve people were physically assaulted during a property violation attempt. According to GHRD sources, the main perpetrator holds a post in the Bangladeshi Army, posted at the Jessore Cantonment.

CASE DETAILS:

The incident occurred on the 30th April 2010 in a Hindu village at Baguli, of the Manikgonj district. It is reported that the attack took place as a result of a property violation attempt, during which the perpetrators illegally confiscated crops from local Hindu owners.

Thirteen identified and armed perpetrators, reportedly lead by a member of the National Army, entered the Hindu property around 7 a.m. on 30th April 2010 and started pillaging agrarian produce. When the owners made an effort to protect their property, the perpetrators attacked them with sharp weapons, causing serious physical injuries. Some Muslims who tried to help their Hindu neighbours, were also physically assaulted. At least four victims were taken to hospital, one in a critical condition. One of the villagers filed a complaint against the thirteen perpetrators at Doulatpur police station on 1st May 2010.

A First Information Report (FIR) was filed at Doulatpur police station on 1st May 2010 under sections143/447/323/325/326/307/379/114/506 (ii) of the Penal code. After the lodging of the complaint, some of the perpetrators surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate-Manikgonj and got a relief. Subsequently, the perpetrators once again intimidated the victims and ordered them to leave the country immediately.

GHRD started the investigation on the 8th May 2010 and has visited the location of the incident and took statements from the victims. More than 100 witnesses, both Hindus and Muslims, confirmed the incident. According to their statements, the perpetrators are violent and constitute a threat to the local community and must be immediately brought to justice.

To this moment none of the perpetrators have been arrested. GHRD has collected FIR's, photographs, medical reports and additional documentation verifiying the violent incidents. A lawyer has also been engaged. GHRD will continue to monitor the case.

GHRD notes with concern that violence against minorities and intolerance persist in Bangladesh. In only a month, this is the third attack against Hindus that GHRD has investigated, which occurred as a result of a property violation.

On the 20th and 26th March 2010 at least 15 perpetrators illegally entered ponds, property of Hindus and stole fish, which is a main source of income for the locals. One of the victims was physically assaulted. According to information gathered by GHRD, a police officer is involved in the unlawful acts. Furthermore, between 25th February and 3rd April 2010 the property of over 21 Hindus was violated and their houses were occupied by perpetrators, belonging to the Muslim population. Notably, in all three cases there are allegations for police negligence or even collaboration with the wrongdoers.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

In light of the above, GHRD strongly urges the local police authorities to conduct a proper investigation into this case, and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The allegation of involvement of a member of the Bangladeshi Army is particularly worrying and GHRD urges upon the local authorities to undertake all legal measures required in this case in order to establish the facts and identify the perpetrators. The victims must receive necessary legal assistance and adequate compensation for the damages caused, and their safety and wellbeing must be guranteed during the entire process.

We trust that immidate action shall be taken in this regard.

Thank you,

In order to help, please print the following sample letter and send it to the relevant authorities found below.

Sample letter:

Dear ___________,

I am deeply concerned with the news received from Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) regarding another attack against the Hindu community in the Manikgonj District, where at least twelve people were physically assaulted during a property violation attempt. According to GHRD sources, the main perpetrator holds a post in the Bangladeshi Army, posted at the Jessore Cantonment.

I am told that the incident occurred on the 30th April 2010 in a Hindu village at Baguli, of the Manikgonj district. It is reported that the attack took place as a result of a property violation attempt, during which the perpetrators illegally confiscated crops from local Hindu owners.

GHRD reports that thirteen identified and armed perpetrators, reportedly lead by a member of the National Army, entered the Hindu property around 7 a.m. on 30th April 2010 and started pillaging agrarian produce. When the owners made an effort to protect their property, the perpetrators attacked them with sharp weapons, causing serious physical injuries. Some Muslims who tried to help their Hindu neighbours, were also physically assaulted. At least four victims were taken to hospital, one in a critical condition. One of the villagers filed a complaint against the thirteen perpetrators at Doulatpur police station on 1st May 2010.

I am also informed that a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at Doulatpur police station on 1st May 2010 under sections143/447/323/325/326/307/379/114/506 (ii) of the Penal code. After the lodging of the complaint, some of the perpetrators surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate-Manikgonj and got a relief. Subsequently, the perpetrators once again intimidated the victims and ordered them to leave the country immediately.

GHRD started the investigation on the 8th May 2010 and has visited the location of the incident and took statements from the victims. More than 100 witnesses, both Hindus and Muslims, confirmed the incident. According to their statements, the perpetrators are violent and constitute a threat to the local community and must be immediately brought to justice.

To this moment none of the perpetrators have been arrested. GHRD has collected FIR's, photographs, medical reports and additional documentation verifiying the violent incidents. A lawyer has also been engaged. GHRD will continue to monitor the case.

GHRD notes with concern that violence against minorities and intolerance persist in Bangladesh. In only a month, this is the third attack against Hindus that GHRD has investigated, which occurred as a result of a property violation.

Additionally, I was informed by GHRD that on the 20th and 26th March 2010 at least 15 perpetrators illegally entered ponds, property of Hindus and stole fish, which is a main source of income for the locals. One of the victims was physically assaulted. According to information gathered by GHRD, a police officer is involved in the unlawful acts. Furthermore, between 25th February and 3rd April 2010 the property of over 21 Hindus was violated and their houses were occupied by perpetrators, belonging to the Muslim population. Notably, in all three cases there are allegations for police negligence or even collaboration with the wrongdoers.

In light of the above, I strongly urge the local police authorities to conduct a proper investigation into this case, and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The allegation of involvement of a member of the Bangladeshi Army is particularly worrying and therefore I urge upon the local authorities to undertake all legal measures required in this case in order to establish the facts and identify the perpetrators. The victims must receive necessary legal assistance and adequate compensation for the damages caused, and their safety and wellbeing must be guranteed during the entire process.

I trust that you will take immediate action on this serious matter.

Yours sincerely,

(...)

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mrs. Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister

Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Office of the Prime Minister

Tejgaon, Dhaka

BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490

Tel: +880 2 882 816 079 / 988 8677

E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd or ps1topm@pmo.gov.bd or psecy@pmo.gov.bd

2. Mr. Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim

Chief Justice

Supreme Court of Bangladesh

Supreme Court Building

Ramna, Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 5058

Tel: +880 2 956 2792

3. Barrister Shafique Ahmed

Minister

Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs

Bangladesh Secretariat

Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Tel: +880 2 7160627

Fax: +880 2 7168557

4. Ms. Sahara Khatun MP

Minister

Ministry of Home Affairs

Bangladesh Secretariat

Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Tel: +880 2 7169069

Fax: +880 2 7160405, 880 2 7164788

5. Mr. Mahbubey Alam

Attorney General of Bangladesh

Office of the Attorney General

Supreme Court Annex Building

Ramna, Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 1568

Tel: +880 2 956 2868

6. Mr. Nur Mohammad

Inspector General of Police (IGP)

Bangladesh Police

Police Headquarters'

Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 3362 / 956 3363

Tel: +880 2 956 2054 / 717 6451 / 717 6677

E-mail: ig@police.gov.bd

7. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)

Khulna Range

Office of the DIG of Khulna Range

Khulna

BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 41 761300

Tel: +880 41 761823

E-mail: digkhulna@police.gov.bd

Ruling party goes in rampage against country's minorities

Source: The Daily Star News

Return houses to 13 Hindu families: High Court Orders police

The High Court yesterday ordered the police administration of Pirojpur to rehabilitate to their houses within five days 13 Hindu families in Mathbaria upzila evicted allegedly by Awami League activists.

It also directed the superintendent of police (SP) of Pirojpur and officer-in-charge (OC) of Mathbaria Police Station to ensure restoration of the victims' lands and other property from the grabbers.

The HC ordered them to provide adequate security to the evicted families.

It is alleged that a group of local AL men occupied houses and property of the 13 families of South Sonakhali village in the last three months.

The HC order came from a bench comprised of AHM Justice Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hossain.

The court also ordered the OC of Mathbaria to appear before it within a month, and submit a report on compliance with its the order.

SP of Pirojpur Nafiul Islam and OC of Mathbaria Nurul Haque appeared before the HC bench and tendered unconditional apology for not complying with its earlier order.

Upon a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, the bench on April 25 directed the SP and the OC to arrest within 48 hours the persons involved in grabbing houses and lands of the families.

The SP and the OC told the court yesterday that they could not arrest anybody in this connection since no specific case was filed.

Human rights activist Rabindra Ghose, who had visited the spot, described in the court yesterday the incidents of land house grabbing.

Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the petitioner and Deputy Attorney Ggeneral Nazrul Islam Talukder for the police.

'Include stakeholders in preparing census data of adivasis'

Source: The Daily Star News

Traditional social structures of indigenous communities and organisations working on them should be included in the process of preparing census data of adivasis in 2011 to make it reliable, speakers told a city meeting yesterday.

They said individual indigenous communities should be identified and represented separately in the census and clustered together as ethnic people.

Research and Development Collective (RDC) in association with International Labour Organisation organised the view exchange meeting titled 'National Census 2011: tasks to identify numbers of indigenous people according to their ethnic identity' at the Jatiya Press Club.

Presenting the keynote speech, RDC General Secretary Prof Mesbah Kamal said the census data on the indigenous people prepared in 2001 is unreliable and politically motivated.

He said it would be impossible to take effective development programmes for the ethnic people without accurate data on them.

Prof Kamal suggested the government to conduct orientation training for the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics officials to cope with the indigenous people's issues.

He also suggested reviewing the questionnaire format for the census due in 2011 in consultation with the opinion leaders of indigenous people and experts.

Lawmaker of Khagrachhari Jyotindra Lal Tripura said if the headman and karbari were included in the data collection process of the census, then the right data and information could come out.

Right information and data would help the government undertake effective development process for the indigenous people, he said.

Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said the government can take help from the formats of census of the neighbouring countries to make questionnaire format for the census to be held in 2011.

Khagrachhari District Headman Association leader Shaktipad Tripura also spoke at the meeting with Justice Golam Rabbani in the chair.

Grabbing of temple protested

Source: The Daily Star News

Members of Hindu community in the city's Rayerbazar area yesterday staged a demonstration protesting the grabbing of land belonging to a century-old temple in the area.

They alleged that a developer company occupied the Sree Sree Kali Mandir yesterday.

The demonstrators took out a procession from the temple and later formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding that the government take steps to recover the temple land and take action against the developer.

Dhakeshwari National Temple general secretary Advocate Taposh Pal, organising secretary Advocate Kishore Mandal, treasurer Advocate Shamol Roy, Kali Mandir committee president Suhash Pal and general secretary Shamvunath Pal were present at the human chain programme.

Indigenous leader shot dead in Rangamati

Source: The Daily Star

An indigenous leader was gunned down allegedly by his rivals at Juraichhari Upazila in Rangamati on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Proshanta Chakma, a leader of Democratic Youth Forum (DYF) of the upazila unit, reports our Rangamati correspondent.

Local sources said rivals waylaid Proshanta in Lebarpara area of Juraichhari at about 11:00am opened shot on him, leaving him dead on the spot.

Hindu Land Grabbing: HC asks Pirojpur SP to nab culprits

Source: The Daily Star News

The High Court yesterday directed the superintendent of police of Pirojpur to arrest within 48 hours the persons involved in occupying lands of Hindus in the district.

The court directed the SP and officer-in-charge of Mathbaria Police Station of the district to appear before the court on May 6 for explaining the incidents of land grabbing.

It also asked the inspector general of police to submit a report within 30 days to it after investigating into the incidents.

The court also issued a rule upon the government and the police authorities to explain within two weeks why they should not be directed to take legal action against the land grabbers and provide security to local Hindus.

The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hossain came up with the rule and orders after hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights organisation.

The petition was filed following a report published in the daily Jugantar on April 20 this year saying that the law enforcers did not come to the rescue although an influential group had occupied around 5,000 bighas of land of the Hindus in Pirojpur.

The law enforcers have assisted the land grabbers in occupying the land, the report adds.

The petitioner also said the law enforcers have failed to discharge their constitutional duties in protecting the properties of the community.

The home secretary, IGP, deputy inspector general of Barisal range, SP of Pirojpur and OC of Mathbaria Police Station have been made respondents in the rule.

Advocate Manzill Murshed appeared for the petitioner.

Call to ensure indigenous people's rights to land

Source: The Daily Star News

Indigenous people's rights to land must be ensured for their sustainable livelihood and other fundamental rights, said the speakers at a regional workshop here on Sunday.

Due to lack of awareness, they viewed that the indigenous people have been loosing their rights to land and other services provided by the government organisations.

To get rid of this, they suggested wide-ranging expansion of literacy among the indigenous people thereby they could be aware of their rights.

Some NGOs working for socio-economic development of the indigenous people jointly organised the workshop titled "We want separate land commission for the plain land indigenous people" at Nanking Darbar hall.

Local lawmaker Fazley Hossain Badsha addressed the workshop as the chief guest with General Secretary of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad Rabindra Nath Saren in the chair.

Badsha said the indigenous communities were all along deprived of the mainstream development process and the trend should be changed for betterment of the plain land indigenous people.

In the context of land rights, he said the plan land indigenous people have been facing more problems than that of the hilly indigenous people.

He stressed the need for undertaking an effective step to make the indigenous people competent in all aspects especially literacy and social empowerment so that they can ensure their welfare.

Besides, he called for proper enforcement of the laws and regulations relating to land transfer of the indigenous people to protect them from all sorts of harassments in this regard.

Jatiya Adibashi Parishad President Anil Marandi, indigenous leader Bishad Muni Tappa, Director of Barendra Unnayan Prochesta Foyzullah Chowdhury, BLAST Coordinator Advocate Abdus Samad, political leaders Rafiqul Islam Piarul, Abul Kalam Azad, Advocate Entazul Haque Babu and Ganesh Mardi also spoke at the meeting.

The speakers underlined the need for a concerted efforts to bring the indigenous people in the mainstream of society for their substantial welfare protecting them from repression and oppression by the surrounding opportunists for their peaceful survival.

They said the indigenous people are hardworking and playing a vital role in increasing farm production. So, a holistic village-based community development approach has become indispensable for their substantial welfare, they added.

Stressing the need for protecting their rights, the speakers said importance should be given to protecting the underprivileged people from all sorts of deceptions by the surrounding privileged and muscle men.

Depicting grim pictures of their vulnerable lifestyle and other social context, some indigenous people called for taking special programmes to protect them from violation of human rights along with ending discrimination.

They also narrated their vulnerable social status saying that the minority people should be given opportunities of enjoying the fundamental rights for development of their socio- economic condition.

Apart from this, they underscored the need for a concerted efforts of government, NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure reproductive health and safe motherhood for the disadvantaged and poor indigenous community.