HRCBM-DFW

KIDNAPPED SCHOOLGIRL'S FATHER IN GRIEF
May sell home, leave village in sheer desperation
If he does not get his daughter back
The Daily Ittefaq, Monday, March 24, 2008, Dhaka, Bangladesh

||by  Mongla Correspondent||
 
Amratola-Chapra of Mongla: Due to continuous threat from the influential quarters, Parimal Roy (45), dirt poor and hapless father of a Hindu schoolgirl couldn’t file a case against the kidnappers of his daughter at the local police station. Nobody is speaking out against this crime fearing retribution, as the kidnapper come from a very powerful and influential family. Finding no other alternatives, Parimal, the poor and helpless father has decided to sell the ancestral home, his only material asset, and leave his village. This Sunday, Parimal expressed his grievance and helplessness in front of a group of journalists at the local press club.
 
As per Parimal, his daughter (16) is going to appear at this year’s S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate) examination from the local Amratola-Chapra Secondary School. On the fateful evening of March 2, when she went outside of her home in order to respond to nature’s call, she was abducted by a neighborhood hoodlum, Saiful Molla, son of Hai Molla, a powerful and wealthy local man. He used a motorcycle to abduct her. Two local young men named Tapas and Suman Mondal were the accomplices of this incident.
 
When Parimal Roy approached Abdul Hai Molla and their relatives on the following day in order to apprise him of this incident, they asked Parimal Roy to keep quiet. Subsequently, Parimal Roy again brought this incident to the notice of the guardians of the abductor and other villagers but to no effect. Failing to resolve this issue with Saiful’s guardians and being unable to file a case with the local police station for fear of revenge and retaliation, Parimal came to the press club and expressed his utter grief with the question “Will they do whatever they want to do to my daughter because I am a poor, helpless man?”, while he broke down in tears.

Read the story in Bengali language-

Influential people ostracize 55 Christian families of Tala Upazila of Satkhira district
(The Daily Prothom Alo, 08th April 07)
 
From Our Correspondent
 
SATKHIRA, April 8: 55 Christian families of Tala upazila of Satkhira district were ostracized. A case was lodged when a Christian couple was repressed few days back. Later police arrested the accused. To this the influential people of the area ostracized them. Nobody of the local bazaar is selling anything to the people of Christian community and even nobody is giving them any work. The Christian couple is now fleeing away for the continuous threat to withdraw the case.
 
Laxmi Sarkar, wife of Bistu Sarkar of village Laxmanpur told that an influential named Sheikh Haidar Ali of village Noapara told her to meet him centering her family feud. Laxmi Sarkar along with her husband was going to Sheikh Haidar’s house by van on March 21 last. On the way Sheikh Haidar Ali stopped the van and took them to task. He also beat up Laxmi Sarkar and her husband when they protested it.
 
Laxmi Sarkar and her husband went to local Jatpur police camp for a justice to the incident. Both of them at the advice of camp in charge Anisur Rahman took primary aid from Upazila Health Complex. Bistu Sarkar lodged a case with Tala police station on that very night accusing Sheikh Haidar Ali. Later police arrested Haidar Ali on March 22.
 
Laxmi Sarkar told that about 40-50 men led by chairman of Tetulia Union Parishad Mokbul Hossain, Haidar Ali’s cousin Sheikh Moshiur Rahman, Tarapad Sarkar and kanai Das came to her house on March 22 night. They forcibly took the signatures of Laxmi Sarkar and her husband on two white papers saying that they would settle the matter. The next day Moshiur Rahman took them to Tala police station by a microbus. Both Laxmi Sarkar and her husband were forced beforehand to say before the OC of Tala police station Abdur Razzak that the matter was solved. Being forced Laxmi Sarkar and her husband admitted that. Later the subject of the settlement of the matter was put down on the papers on which signatures of Laxmi Sarkar and her husband were taken were submitted before the court and then the court granted the bail of Sheikh Haidar Ali on March 25.
 
Some Christian inhabitants of Laxman village told that after Sheikh Haidar Ali was freed on bail, the people of Christian Palli (village) were ostracized. Lutfar Mallik, Atiar Sardar, Abdus Sattar and Delwar Hossain supported Haidar Ali for this work.
 
Through :
Rabindra Ghosh
President, HRCBM-Dhaka.

Influential people of Doulatpur of Kushtia District occupied landed properties belonging to minorities. Order of Injunctions of the court violated. (The Janakantha dated 27.06.06)
 
Some influential people with the aid of BNP activists at Pearpur Union at Halut Baria area of Doulatpur P.S. within the district of Kushtia, violating the injunction order of the court, evicted the minority family and occupied the land with coercion and forceful means. This minority family has been passing their days with agony and pressure as they filed case in the court.
 
It is reported that Ajit Kumar Sarnakar son of late Tarapada Sarnakar inherited properties from Tarapada Sarnakar and Ajit Kumar had been owning and possessing the lands since British Period. In the year 1971 after liberation of Bangladesh some influential people namely Majibuddin and Baser Uddin most illegally and forcefully constructed two houses within the lands of Ajit Kumar. Recently Majibuddin died but some land grabbers with malice manufactured some false documents and intimidating this Hindu family and subsequently occupied the lands. Previously the court granted injunction in favor of Ajit Kumar but despite the injunction order the land grabbers occupied the land and started construction thereon.
 
Ajit Kumar reported this unfortunate incident in writing to local journalist as well as to the local Police administration at Doulatpur for taking necessary assistance, but the police did not take any action for the protection of the rights of properties of this minority family. On the other hand the land grabbers are continuously threatening the minority family to leave the country. As a result Ajit Kumar and members of his family passing days with insecurity. 
 
Through:
Rabindra Ghosh

Investigative Report of HRCBM-Dhaka on the news“House Wife Gang-raped” at village: Shatbaria under Kaliganj P.S. within Jhenaidah District. (Investigation conducted by HRCBM on July 5, 2006 at 3 p.m.).

Click here for more pictures

I, Adv. Rabindra Ghosh along with Prof. Ashok Toru of HRCBM-Dhaka rushed to the spot on 05.07.06 at Shatbaria of Kaliganj P.S. Jhenaidaha District 260 kilometers from Dhaka on receipt of information published in the daily” Bangladesh Observer” dated 1st of July, 06 that a housewife – Shymoli Rani Das (20) was gang raped.

Back -Ground Information: 

Ms. Shymoli Rani Das (Rishi) aged about 20 years of village Shatbaria under Kaliganj Police station within the district of Jhenaidah was married to one Milan Das of the same locality 3 years back and residing in the house of the father of Shymoli Das permanently. She gave birth of a child namely Ms.Sumitra Das two years back. She got her old parents Ms.Fulmala (M) and Mr. Dinabandhu (F) and looking after them with a very scanty income.  On   20th June 2006 at about 2 p.m. while both Shymoli and Milan were sleeping side by side in a thatched room some unknown miscreants numbering about 4/5 entered into the room unlawfully and at the gun point raped Shymoli one after another. After rape the miscreants injured the victim by pushing a bamboo made stick on her private part. As a result the victim got severe injuries at her private part, fell unconscious pouring constant blood from her body in the bed. The husband of the victim could not resist as he was threatened to death. Shymoli was primarily taken to Thana Health Complex and the doctor Mannan on 20th June, 06 who checked and referred her to Jhenaidaha Sadar Hospital on 21st June, 06. The report of Sadar Hospital is positive and sign of injuries and torture on her vagina is prevalent.  She was released on 2nd of July 2006.

Spot Investigation:

We reached Kaliganj Police station on 5th of July 06 at about 12-30 p.m. talked with Officer-in-Charge -Monjur Morshed who was also earlier briefed by the Superintendent of Police -  Jhenaidaha about our visit to his police station. We enquired about the victim Shymoli Rani. The O.C. on reply told us that no F.I.R. has been made as the victim was not interested to lodge any complain against anybody. We also asked whether any initiative was taken to examine victim medically by police, but police replied that as the victim was not interested to be examined and police refrained from taking any initiative.   But Md. Hemayet Hossain has made a general diary in the P.S. a Sub-Inspector of Police. We collected the general diary report of S.I. and found that report is far from satisfactory and a perfunctory investigation has been conducted and no initiative has been taken by police to examine the victim medically as per law.

Monjur Morshed – O.C. of Kaliganj wanted to accompany us along with Local U.P. Chairman - at the spot where the victim was gang-raped and tortured.

Statement of the Victim:

We reached at the spot at about 1-30 p.m. and found the victim housewife was not able to move and we asked her about the incident of torture upon her. She kept herself aloof about the incident of rape, but she admitted that a serious injury on her private part by a bamboo stick is true and she does not want to complain, as she could not recognize the perpetrators of crime at darkness. She also produced the alamat - bamboo stick before us and showed us that somebody pushed this bamboo stick on her private part at dead of night and causing serious injuries on her vagina. She also continued to say that she has got neither enemy nor any bad relationship with the neighbor, although they are helpless and destitute. We have videotaped her statements and took picture on the spot. Police did not seize the bamboo stick, bloodstained clothes and alamats despite our request, which are the vital evidences of torture.

Statement of Md.Habibur Rahaman- U.P. Chairman of Maliat :

We found Md. Habibur Rahman of Union Parishad No.8 who admitted that he is the active leader of Jamat-E-Islami of Bangladesh and Rokon of that Union. He came to know the incident from Aminur Rahman – an Ward Member of the union that some unknown perpetrators entered into the house of the victim and pushed a bamboo stick on the private part of Ms. Shymoli Rani on 20th of June, 06 at night, but the victim does not want to lodge any complain to anybody and she denied incident of gang rape on her because of unknown reasons. He also described that he loves the minority community and they have voted for him during election. We asked the victim and her parents whether any threat has been given to them or not, they in front of police and chairman denied. We asked why this report has been published in the national dailies without verifying the cause of torture, they could not properly reply. 

Statement of Ms.Fulmala and Dinabandhu Das :

We have also asked the guardian of the victim Ms. Fulmala (45) (mother) and Dinabandhu (60) (father) who elaborately described that “some perpetrators entered into the house of my daughter forcefully and we woke up due to hue and cry at night and my daughter started crying – saying save me and save me” but they could not recognize the perpetrators and found that blood was pouring from the vagina and she was taken to Kaliganj Health complex for treatment and wherefrom she has been transferred to Jhenaidaha Sadar Hospital for better treatment. They all confessed that there was assault, bleeding – everything was right, but they did not implicate anybody of the area for this heinous offence.  But body wanted to say it is matter of abortion, but we did not find any reason of abortion at this stage at the spot. We found 8-9 Hindu Rishi families in this locality and they are residing there with agony and anxiety.

Recommendations and Opinion:

1) The Police administration has totally ignored this incident and   failed to accord protection of this minority family after the incident took place on 20th June,06. The constitutional rights have been violated.
2) Police also did not take initiative to send this victim for medical examination whether gang rape, as per report of the newspaper, has been proved genuine.
3) Police also miserably suppressed the materials facts not lodging any F.I.R. at Kaligonj police station in time only making a G.D. entry which is nothing but sheer negligence on the part of the administration.
4) Where there is a specific law if any cognizable offence is reported to the police – it is the duty of the police officer to take cognizance of the case as per law. The question of not lodging any FIR in the police station by the victim is immaterial. Knowledge of cognizable offence in his jurisdiction is enough for investigation into the matter.
5) The responsible police officer on duty should be directed to investigate the matter judicially and in accordance with law and the negligence on the part of police should be enquired into.
6) The Minorities should be protected and discrimination in respect of taking cognizance against women is the violation under the law.
7) As the Government of Bangladesh became a signatory of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against women on November 6, 1984 it was the obligatory duty of the state to protect the rights of minority women.
8) The government of Bangladesh should make adequate compensation and immediate Medical examination with full treatment of the victim.
9) The perpetrators of crime against humanity should be brought to justice according to law.

We came back from Jhenaidaha to Dhaka by bus on the same night.

Prepared and submitted by:

Rabindra Ghosh
President, HRCBM-Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rafique-ul-Alam backs from Kushtia
 
MEHERPUR: June 11: - Tribal communalities in Kushtia have been facing extinction as a number of groups have already migrated to India, it has learnt.
 
Kushtia, which is the home of many tribal people, was once a Sub-Division of Nadia district, West Bengal of India during the tenure of British government. It became district after the partition of India in 1947. In those days Kushtia was famous for indigo cultivation. The villagers were compelled to grow indigo on their own land having no rent for land and labour. This caused serious revolt by the people and as a result the British Indigo Planters imported labours from outside Bangladesh and they were mostly tribal who came from Chotto Nagpur, Orissa and Bihar. Many of them voluntarily migrated for want of food. According to William Hunter and Prof. Anwarul Karim many Santals and other hilly tribes also lived in Kushtia and elsewhere in the district of Nadia. The Buna-Bagdi tribes originally belong to the Oraon tribe.
 
Bindi, a leading tribal community who are originally Dravdian, already migrated to India. Local terrorist groups grabbed their leftover properties including land. A book on the life of tribal, their sufferings during last 30 years written by Professor Dr. Anwarul Karim currently Treasurer of the Islamic University reveals that Bindis or Bins are peace-loving people and were known as fishermen. They were spread over the entire six Upazillas of Kushtia district but the bulky part of them lived in Mirpur, Bheramara, Kumarkhali and Khoksha. They lived along side on the Ganges and Gorai rivers. They had their own small villagers and lived a little away from the local people. They were farmers and they had their own land. Generally they speak in Bangla although they had their own language. When this correspondent visited their areas came to that everybody had gone to India and their properties were either looted or grabbed by the local people.
 
There are other tribes also like Bona, Kol, Bagdhi and Rajbanshi. A good number of people already left to India at present tribal of Kushtia are piece broken off the primitive society.
 
In fact the tribes of Kushtia have suffered a lot. These people earlier lived in jungles. They used to collect food from the jungles for their survival. These jungles also provided security for them and herbal medicine. But unfortunately, there is no jungle. As a result they had been facing serious crisis in their live and also they can not maintain their
 
Culture. The absence of jungle and acute shortage of water in rural areas as most of the rivers, canals, fens, ponds are dried up, forced many of the tribes to leave their homestead in Bangladesh for India.
 
The Political unrest and rise of terrorism and underground-outlawed parties made them panicky.
 
These causes have forced them to leave the country. The Hindu caste system is also a serious blow to them. Many of them have changed their religion. The Hindus treat them as ‘untouchables’ and do not allow them to share ritual practices. 
 
The tribes of Kushtia, in fact had undergone a series of change and transformation for generations. These people have no grasp of tribal languages, they have forgotten their past culture, songs etc. They are using liveries like Bangalees. The tribal in Kushtia have no permanent address to stay. I have found that the tribal live in railway station. In Mirpur Upazilla they are known as Bunu-bagdi living in small hamlet.
 
It is now important to collect materials about their life and living conditions and to take up projects for their rehabilitation, experts opined.
 
Through:
Rabindra Ghosh
President, HRCBM-Dhaka

Source: The Bangladesh Observer: 12th of June 2006 

Press Conference against (RAB-6)- Khulna –Bangladesh  affecting Minority Hindu religious feelings for treating the owner of "Krishna Murthi" as smuggler of the deity. ( Daily Janakantha dated 1st April,06 and daily "Jugantor" dated Ist April,06)

On 28th March, 06  Rapid Action Battalion-6 at Khulna most illegally detained and arrested a Minority  Hindu goldsmith – Chanchal Adhikari from his house with his Goddess "Krishna Murthi" made of touchstone treating the owner as smuggler of deity. In this connection a case has been registered at Khulna Sadar P.S. under the Special Powers Act. The arrested victim-   Chanchal Adhikari has been sent to Jail custody.

On Friday last 31 March, 06 Ms. Khuku Akdhidari – wife of Chanchal Adkhikari arranged a press conference at Khulna Press Club and she empathically denied the allegation and demanded that her husband has been implicated with this false case with religious motive and she also made RAB-6 responsible for insulting the religion, tarnishing image and removing their Goddess "Krishna Murthi" from their house. She also made it clear that they had been worshiping this Goddess "Krishna Murthi" from time immemorial at Khulna as their private Debottor property.

Through:
Rabindra Ghosh
President, HRCBM-Dhaka,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH: Gang rape of a minority woman in Bagerhat district

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal 11 January 2006 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- UA-018-2006: BANGLADESH: Gang rape of a minority woman in Bagerhat district BANGLADESH: Rape; Violence against woman; Inadequate action by authorities; Threat and intimidation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged gang rape of a woman belonging to a minority community by six men in Hogolpota village, Bagerhat district on 30 October 2005.  The victim, accompanied by her husband, was on her way home after making a phone call to her son in India when the alleged perpetrators, Kachin Munshi, Al Amin and four others, stopped her, tied her husband to a tree, and then forced her into a field where she was allegedly gang raped in front of her husband. The perpetrators belong to the ruling political party. The victim sustained injuries to her genitalia and was abandoned soon after the incident took place. Once she was able to free her husband, the victim went home. The following day, the victim lodged a case with the Sharankhola police station. The police conducted a forensic examination of her on the same date, although the concerned medical doctors of the Bagerhat Sadar Hospital have not yet prepared the report. Only one of the six alleged perpetrators has been arrested to date. Although the police have charged one of the alleged perpetrators for violation of Section 9(1) of the Women and Child Repression Prevention (Revised) Act of 2003, the AHRC is deeply concerned that the remaining alleged perpetrators remain at large. We are also concerned that the victim has not been afforded appropriate treatment for the trauma she has suffered nor appropriate protection. It was learned that the victim and the witnesses of the case are receiving frequent threats from the absconding perpetrators. As a result, both the victim and the witnesses are in fear of their safety. The victim and her family are also feeling the societal stigma following the attack. None of these factors have been taken into consideration by the relevant authorities. We urge your strong intervention to ensure that appropriate trauma treatment, medical assistance and protection are afforded to the victim. Please also urge the concerned authorities to ensure the speedy disposition of the victim’s case in court. The concerned government agencies must take steps to ensure that the victim can live her life safely and without any discrimination. Urgent Appeals Programme Asian Human Rights Commission ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DETAILED INFORMATION: Name of the victim: Ms. X (Name withheld), 30-years-old, living in Hogolpota village, under Sharankhola police station in Bagerhat district Name of alleged perpetrators: 1. Kachi Munsi, son of Hakim Munsi, living in Rajapur village 2. Al-Amin, son of Babul Howladar, living in Dakkhin Badhal village under Sharankhola police station in Bagerhat district 3. Four unknown persons, living in the same area under the same police station in Bagerhat district. Date and place of incident: 30 October 2005 at a field near a sawmill in Shailabunia village beside the road from Amragachi to Rajapur   Case details: On 30 October 2005, at around 9.00pm the victim, accompanied by her husband went to the Rajapur Bazar commercial telephone booth to make a phone call to her son in India. When they were on their way back home to Hogolpota village the alleged perpetrators, Kachi Munshi, Al Amin and four other unidentified persons stopped them nearby a sawmill at Shailabunia village. They then proceeded to tie the husband to a tree and beat him. They then forced the victim to a roadside field where she was allegedly raped in front of her husband. After the incident, the perpetrators left the victim lying on the ground. They intimidated the victim and her husband not to disclose their identity before anyone. The victim managed to crawl along the ground to remove the knot from her husband’s hand. The victim and her husband then returned home.  The next day, the victim, accompanied by her husband, went to the Sharankhola police station and lodged a case (No. 18, Date - 31 October 2005) against the perpetrators for violation of Section 9(1) of the Women and Child Repression Prevention (Revised) Act of 2003. The police arranged a medical examination of the victim, taking her to the Bagerhat district Sadar Hospital on the same day. The police then arrested Kachi Munshi while the rest of his associates are still absconding. The perpetrators are intimidating the victim that they will do harm again if she does not withdraw the case. The victim and her family are living in their village home in fear and in an unsecured situation. The victim told a fact-finding team from the Task Force against Torture (TFT) of Khulna district that the perpetrators were threatening the witnesses in the case who are also hesitating to give their statements before the court considering their security problem. The inhabitants of the locality, including members of the local Union Council, assert that the alleged perpetrators are continuously breaking the law and are committing crimes under the name of the ruling political party. The whole community is under threat due to the misdeeds and crimes committed by these people. The Investigating Officer of the Sharankhola police station, Sub Inspector Mr. M. Nurul Islam told the fact-finding team that the incident was primarily proved and that they were waiting for the medical examination report to be prepared by the doctors before proceeding further. The charge sheet of the case, based on confessions by one of the perpetrators and the result of the forensic test, will be submitted to the court soon.   The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Sharankhola police station, Mr. Hari Debnath, told the fact-finding team that the police were trying to arrest the other perpetrators responsible for the incident.   SUGGESTED ACTION: Please send an appeal letter to the persons below and express your deep concern about this serious case. Sample letter: Dear ___________, Re: BANGLADESH: Gang rape of a minority woman in Bagerhat district Name of the victim: Ms. X (Name withheld), 30-years-old, living in Hogolpota village, under Sharankhola police station in Bagerhat district Name of alleged perpetrators: 1. Kachi Munsi, son of Hakim Munsi, living in Rajapur village 2. Al-Amin, son of Babul Howladar, living in Dakkhin Badhal village under Sharankhola police station in Bagerhat district 3. Four unknown persons, living in the same area under the same police station in Bagerhat district. Date and place of incident: 30 October 2005 at a field near a sawmill in Shailabunia village beside the road from Amragachi to Rajapur I am appalled to learn that a woman belonging to a minority community was allegedly raped by a group of men in Shailabunia village, Bagerhat district on 30 October 2005. I have learned that the victim, accompanied by her husband, was on her way home after making a phone call to her son when the alleged perpetrators, identified as Kachi Munshi, Al Amin and four other persons, blocked her way. They then tied and beat her husband up before forcing her to a roadside field where she was allegedly gang raped. After the incident, the perpetrators left the victim on the ground and threatened her, and also her husband, not to disclose the matter to anyone. I have learned that one of the alleged perpetrators Chan Munshi was arrested by the police following a case filed by the victim under the Women and Child Repression Prevention (Revised) Act of 2003, and is presently detained in Bagerhat jail. But the rest of his associates are still absconding. While I welcome the news that one of the perpetrator’s was arrested and is currently detained, I am concerned that the others allegedly involved remain at large. I am also concerned that the government has not properly acted to ensure the victim’s safety. I am aware that the absconding alleged perpetrators are threatening the victim to withdraw her complaint and also the witnesses of the case not to give evidence before the court. The victim also suffered trauma following the incident.  I urge your strong intervention to ensure that the remaining alleged persons are investigated and charged, if it is found they were involved in the gang rape of the victim. I also request that the victim is afforded adequate medical assistance and treatment for the trauma she has suffered. She must also be given compensation and appropriate protection while the case is going on. The concerned government agencies must also take steps to ensure that the victim can continue her life in safety and with integrity.  I further urge you to ensure the speedy disposition of the victim’s case in court. I likewise urge that the Government of Bangladesh take effective steps to prevent such violence against women from reoccurring, in particular those who belong to minority groups. I trust that you will take immediate action on this case. Yours sincerely, --------------------- PLEASE SEND A LETTER TO: 1. Mr. Abdul Quayum Inspector General of Police (IGP) Police Headquarters’ Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH Tel: +88-02-9562054, 7176451, 7176677, 8362552 or 8362553 Fax: +88-02-9563362, 9563363 2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor State Minister The Ministry of Home Affairs Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh The Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH Tel: +88-02-7169069, 8359000 Fax: + 88-02-7160405, 7164788 3. Mr. A. J. Mohammad Ali The Attorney General of Bangladesh The Office of the Attorney General Supreme Court Building Ramna, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH Tel: +88-02-9562868 Fax: +88-02-9561568 4. Mr. Syed J. R. Mudassir Husain The Chief Justice The Supreme Court of Bangladesh Supreme Court Building Ramna, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH Tel: +88-02-9562792 Fax: +88-02-9565058 5.  Ms Gay Mcdougall Independent Expert on Minority Issues c/o Global Rights 1200 18th Street, N.W.   Suite 602   Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202.822.4600 Fax:  202.822.4606 Email: gaym@globalrights.org  6. Ms. Yakin Erturk Special Rapporteur on Elimination of violence against women c/o Ms Lucinda Ohanlon Room 3-042 OHCHR-UNOG 8-14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 SWITZERLAND Tel: +41 22 917 9615 Fax: +41 22 917 9006 Email: lohanlon@ohchr.org Thank you. Urgent Appeal Programme Asian Human Rights Commission Source: http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1458/

Hindu family land grabbed
Our Correspondent, Satkhira

About 42 bighas of land of a Hindu family has been grabbed allegedly by ruling party hoodlums at village Chhoto Shanta in Debhata upazila on Sunday.

A temple was also torched and an image was damaged during the attack.

Quoting local people, police said, attackers jointly led by Khalil Moral, Janab Ali Sazi, Entaj Gazi, Nawab Ali and Lutfor Rahman grabbed Birendra Nath's land.

At least 10 persons were injured when they tried to resist the attackers.

Of the injured, the condition of Devbrata Mitra, 28, Swapan Mitra, 50, Bhaba Sindha Mitra, 56, Ranajit Mitra, 50, and Namita Rani Mitra, 28, is stated to be critical, hospital sources said.

Injured persons were shifted to Sakhipur Health Complex in a critical condition. Debhata Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) rushed to the hospital to see the condition of the victims.

However, local BNP leader and Parulia UP Chairman Golam Farooq Babu refuted the allegation. Police have been deployed in the area, but they failed to drive out the grabbers or arrest them.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/03/29/d50329070888.htm