Hill Voice, 4 September 2019, Wednesday, Gaibandha: Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted a charge-sheet in July 28, 2019, without naming any policeman as well as local ex-Member of Parliament (MP) who was the mastermind of the incident of November 6, 2016, according to the local people. On that day 3 Santal men were killed in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha following an attack of security forces and local goons. Santal leaders claim the charge sheet is biased and tried to hide the real accused.Demanding to discard and re-constitute the charge-sheet, Santals commenced protest activities; mass-rally, road-block, etc. until they filed writ petition in September 4, 2019.
Santal leaders pretend, the charge sheet included the sneak thieves excluding the original planners of the attack is a motive of deep conspiracy. General Manager (Finance) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. Nazmul Huda, Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Shakil Ahmed Bulbul, Mills Labour Union General Secretary Mustafizur Rahman Dulal, UP Member Shah Alam were among those charge-sheeted in the case. Moreover, intentionallythe PBI included 20 indigenous victims’ name in the charge sheet. As a result, the Santals rejected the charge sheet for not including the names of the real accused and mastermind; policemen and ex-MP and other perpetrators. The victims of this incident termed this biased investigation.
It was learnt that, a video-footage of that time, which was telecasted on several local television channels including Al Jazeera showed that some police personnel; sub-inspector (Detective Branch) Mahbubur Rahman and Constable Sazzad Hossain of Gobindaganj Police Station were involved in torching Santal houses at Bagda-farmon Nov 6, 2016. Later, a police probe report, submitted to the High Court (HC) in March 10, 2017, found involvement of two policemen in setting fire to Santal houses. Earlier in January 30, 2017 Gaibandha Chief Judicial Magistrate Md. Sha-hidullah submitted a probe report to the HC, stating that 3 police personnel and some local miscreants were involved in the arson attacks on Santal houses. Besides, the Santal community leaders claim, Abul Kalam Azad, former Awami League lawmaker from Gaibandha-4, Md. Rezaul Karim Rafique, Chairman 2-No Katabari Union were physically present in the spot while directed the local goons and police to attackon Santals’. However, mysteriously the PBI investigation report did not named them.
Philimon Baskey, president of Sahebganj-Bagda Farm Bhumi Uddhar Sangram Committee, said, “ex-MP Md. Abul Kalam Azad, policemen, name of 33 people was the main accused in the case that we had filed (filed by Sri Thomas Hembrom,GR NO: 23/2016, Date: 26/11/2019). The video-clip showed their involvement in the heinous attack on us. Sadly, their names have been dropped on the charge-sheet. We have rejected the charge sheet.”
Hence, in September 4, 2019 Advocate Z. I. Khan Panna and others, on behalf of the Indigenous and Bengali farmers of Sahebganj Bagda-Farm, filed writ petition to the Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Gobindaganj to discard the charge-sheet and include the name of accused policemen as well as ex-MP Abul Kalam Azad and other accused after re-constitute neutral committee. Hearing of the petition would be held on same court in November 4, 2019.
Situations of cases filed by Rangpur (Mohimaganj) Sugar Mills Ltd. and Gobindaganj Police Station against the Indigenous Peoples and Bengali Farmers
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No |
Case |
Current-scenario |
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Cases filed by Rangpur (Mohimaganj) Sugar Mills Ltd. and Gobindaganj Police Station |
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1. |
A case filed by Md.Abdul Awal, Managing Director (MD) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 292/2016, Date: 30/07/2016. |
Case on going against 16 IPs and Bengali-farmers by name and many unnamed. 16 of them got bail. |
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2. |
A case filed by Ms.Akhter Zahan, Deputy Managing Director (Deputy-MD) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 393/2016, Date: 25/09/2016 |
Case on going against 50 IPs and Bengali-farmers by name and 500/600 unnamed. 50 of them got bail. |
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3. |
A case filed by Md.Akhtaruzzaman, Sub- Inspector of Gobindaganj Police Station against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 303/2016, Date: 12/07/2016. |
Case on going against 37 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and 400 unnamed. 37 of them got bail. |
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4. |
A case filed by Md.Abdul Gaffar, Sub- Inspector of Gobindaganj Police Station against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 337/2016, Date: 08/08/2016. |
Case on going against 33 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and 300/400 unnamed. 33 of them got bail. |
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5. |
A case filed by Md.Abdul Gaffar, Sub- Inspector of Gobindaganj Police Station against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 224/2016, Date: 06/11/2016. |
Case on going against 42 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and 400 unnamed. 42 of them got bail. |
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6. |
A case filed by KallyanChakrayarty, Sub- Inspector of Gobindaganj Police Station against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 551/2016, Date: 07/11/2016. |
Case on going against 38 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and many unnamed. 38 of them got bail. |
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7. |
A case filed by Ms.Akhter Zahan, Deputy Managing Director (Deputy-MD) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 25/2017, Date: 15/01/2017. |
Case on going against 13 IPs and Bengali-farmers by name and 10/12 unnamed. 13 of them got bail. |
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8. |
A case filed by Ms.Akhter Zahan, Deputy Managing Director (Deputy-MD) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 218/2017, Date: 05/04/2017 |
Case on going against 10 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and many unnamed. 10 of them got bail. |
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9. |
A case filed by Sri. Charan Murmu, an indigenous man against the indigenous and Bengali farmers of Saibganj-Bagda-farm. GR NO: 542/2017, Date: 14/09/2017 |
Case on going against 20 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Bengali-farmers by name and 10/12 unnamed. 20 of them got bail. |
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Cases filed by Indigenous Peoples and Bengali Farmers |
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1. |
A case filed by Sri. SwapanMurmu, an indigenous manwho was backed by theRangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. and Gobindaganj Police Station on 6 November 2016 incidents. GR NO: 23/2016, Date: 15/09/2016. 10-days later Swapan Murmu filed this case backed by ex-MP Md. Abul Kalam Azad to influence the incidents. Noted, he is not a Santal representative. |
PBI investigate the incident based on this case and submitted charge sheet on 28 July 2019. The charge sheet was rejected by the victims; IPs and Bengali farmers. |
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2. |
A case filed on 6 November 2016 incidents by Sri. Thomas Hemrom, an indigenous leader against the local goons, Rangpur Sugar Mills Ltd. and Gobindaganj Police Station. GR NO: 23/2016, Date: 26/11/2019. 21-days later Thomas Hemrom filed this case on behalf of the victims; Indigenous Peoples and Bengali farmers. Noted, he is the true representative of victims. Gobindaganj Police station didn’t register this as case separately rather they took this supplementary with Swapan Murmu’s case. |
PBI totally manipulate this case by excluding the name of ex-MP Abul Kalam Azad, as well policemen and other goons. Based on this case they filed a writ petition to discard the charge sheet on 4 Sept. 2019. |
Source: Kapaeeng Foundation
