Hill Voice, 27 April 2020, Dhaka:  The Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikyo Parishad (Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council) has demanded strict action against the recent persecution of religious minorities in different districts of the country.

The demand was made in a press statement signed by Advocate Dipankar Ghosh, Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) on 27 April 2020 Monday.

The statement said that despite the catastrophic situation of coronavirus, the BHBCUC has expressed deep concern over the ongoing communal attacks, land grabbing, threats of forcible conversion, rape of women and vandalism of temples.

Advocate Rana Dasgupta, the organization’s general secretary, said in a statement that 15 incidents had taken place in different parts of the country and urged the government to take strict action to protect religious and ethnic minorities from communal terrorists.

However, a human rights activist in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), who did not want to be named, told the Hill Voice that although the BHBCUC statement mentioned 15 incidents, but there were no incidents of military repression and land grabbing in the CHT and indigenous peoples in the plain lands, which is contrary to the unity of the Council.

The Unity Council’s press release details following 15 incidents:

1. Satkhira District: Satkhira businessman Subol Chakraborty threatened to leave for India if he did not convert to Islam.

A terrible terrorist named Mostak, son of Abdur Rahim Sardar of Dokkhin Nagarghata village, has threatened to expel to India Subol Chakraborty, son of Kalipada Chakraborty, a grocer from Nagarghata in Tala upazila of Satkhira district, if he does not convert to Islam as soon as possible. Incident took place on 13 April 2020 Monday. Hundreds of minority families in Nagarghata are terrified of him. The victim, Subol Chakraborty, informed Nagarghata Union Chairman Kamruzzaman Lipu about the incident. Later on, he had lodged a complaint with the Patkelghata Police Station as no action has been taken by the chairman.

2. Bagerhat District: Five Hindu people, including a pregnant housewife and a child in Bagerhat, beaten to injury seriously.

In the morning of 24 April 2020, a group of land robbers led by A. Salam, an influential terrorist-land robber from the neighboring village of Bashtala, carried out a barbaric attack on the family of Anil Bala of Golardanga village in Chila union under Mongla police station. Seven people including pregnant housewife Sumita Bala, Anil Bala, Maya Bala, Sarala Goldar, Shishu Putu Goldar and Shankar Goldar were seriously injured. They were later rescued by locals and admitted to a local hospital. The condition of pregnant housewife Sumita Bala and Anil Bala is critical, said the doctor on duty. A complaint has been lodged with the police station.

3. Jamalpur district: The old Shiva temple at Jamalpur Dhaluabari village demolished to occupy the entire property.

A group of miscreants led by Nurul Islam Khan, son of late Sekandar Khan, took advantage of the lockdown across the country on 23 April 2020 Thursday at Dhaluabari village under Melandoho police station in Jamalpur district and demolished a very old Shiva temple.

4. Joypurhat district: Houses vandalized and beaten due to obstruction of gambling in the temple.

Terrorists have vandalized several houses and beaten up people belonging to religious minorities for obstructing gambling at the Parghati temple in Akkelpur municipal area of Joypurhat district. It is known that, on 20 April 2020 Monday around 12:30 pm, some local youths were gambling in the temple. At that time, when the people of the Hindu community near the temple asked them to stop gambling in the temple, they became angry and vandalized their houses and beat them.Immediately after the incident, the police visited the spot at night and assured to bring the culprits under the law. There is panic among the religious minorities following this incident.

5. Rajshahi District: Ashtami, a schoolgirl, commits suicide finally due to harassment:

Ashtami Sarkar, a student of grade IX, daughter of Nimai Sarkar, committed suicide by hanging herself on 16 April 2020 after being harassed by Golam Mostofa, son of Afzal Hossain and his associates from a nearby village with the help of Sharirat Ali, an assistant teacher of Ghasigram School in Gasigram under Mohonpur police station of Rajshahi district. Earlier, Golam Mostofa and his accompanies abducted Ashtami on 11 November last year while she was on her way to local tutor. On that day, the police rescued Ashtami and arrested the kidnapper Golam Mostofa and sent him to jail. But after being released on bail, he started harassing her again, In the end, Ashtami could not bear it anymore and chose the path of self-destruction.

6. Chittagong district: Attack on 30 Hindu families in Satkanina amid on-going lockdown, threatening to leave the country.

A group of terrorists led by Md. ATM, Md. Abdullah, Zia Uddin, Habibullah and Musa Uddin conducted a sudden attack on 30 Hindu families on 21 April 2020 in Shukladas Para of Dharmapur Union under Satkania Upazila of Chittagong District amid lockdown situation running across the country. The terrorist group has also threatened the victims to leave the country. At least 25 people including men and women were injured. Several people have been hospitalized for critical conditions for being heavily injured. Following the incident, fear and anger are prevailing in the area.

7. Kurigram District: By spreading a rumor of blasphemy, attack on an honors student named Paritosh by miscreants in Kurigram, arrested by police later.

Paritosh Kumar Sarkar, son of Purna Chandra Sarkar, a villager of Satani Hailla in Kaliganj Union under Nageswari Upazila of Kurigram district was attacked by miscreant for spreading obscene comments and blasphemy rumor in Facebook and later handed over to the police by the locals. There is intense anger and tension in the area over this incident.

8. Chandpur District: Hindu tortured in Kachuya amid coronavirus pandemic:

On 17 April 2020, Shital Sarkar and his brother Haripada Sarkar were severely injured by the neighboring Rakib Hosen, a youngster of Munsi Bari. They have been hospitalized by the local people. For a long time, a terrorist group of 10-12 people including Ripon, Bakkar, Hasan, Makbul Mahbub and Masum led by Rakib has been torturing the religious minorities in the area. Following the incident there have been prevailing anger and tension.

9. Jessore District: Sexual harassment of religious minority women in Benapole, AL leader detained

Rita Sarkar, wife of Rabin Sarkar of Choto Anchara village in Benapole Municipality of Jessore district, was molested by local Awami League leader Babu Sardar, son of late Akbar Ali on the night of 16 April 2020. When Rita Sarkar was going to the bathroom outside the house at mid-night at 12:00 hrs., the accused Awami League leader who was drunk has harassed sexually to the victim. Rita got injured for the incident too. Though Babu Sardar was later arrested by the police, some local influential leaders arranged his bail. At present the accused person has been threatening to the victim family after coming back to the village. It is known that they are living inhuman lives.

10. Satkhira District: Barbaric attack on minority families in Satkhira, pond occupied

Borendra Krisna Mondal and his wife Nilima Mondal were severely beaten by ex-UP member Md. Sunnat Ali Gazi and his cadre Md. Islail Hossain, Md. Raj Gazi and Md. Azim Gazi in Vetkhali village under Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira district. It is known that on 24 April 2020, the miscreants tried to occupy the pond belonging to Borendra Krisna Mondal. When they resisted, the miscreants carried out barbaric attack and vandalized their house. It is known that Mr. Mandal was admitted in Shymnagar Sadar Hospital.

11. Brahmanbaria District: Land and house of Sudangshu Das grabbed in Nasirnagar

Local terrorist Icha Mia gang forcibly occupied the land and house of Sudangshu Das by attacking them in Hindu village named Nasirpur under Nasirnagar upazila of Barhmanbaria district on 13 April at noon. After that occurrence, there has been prevailing anger and agitation among the religious minorities.

12. Faridpur District: Family of Suresh Paul victimized in a terrorist attack in Faridpur

On 12 April 2020, a group of terrorists including Md. Mizan Bepari, Md. Rana Bepari, Md. Hridoy Bepari and Md. Sujayet attacked on the house of Suresh Paul with the sharp weapons in Mallikpur village under the Sadar upazila of Faridpur district. Following that, Suresh Paul, his wife Sabita Paul, his son Sameer Paul, his younger brother Suresh Paul and wife of his younger brother Sushmita Paul were seriously injured. Later they were taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital with serious injuries. Moreover, it is known that the police are not taking any case over this incident. In this situation the victim family is suffering from insecurity.

13. Cox’s Bazar District: Land of Shiva temple and houses of minority people attempted to occupy and attacked in Cox’s Bazar

The house of Gopal Das on Sahagali Road in Sattika Palli in Cox’s Bazar municipality was attacked by neighboring miscreant group led by Professor Hossain and his younger brother Liyakat with the intention of occupying the land and homestead of Shiva temple. At that moment, they demanded possession of temple’s land with the occupation boundary poles. Not only that but they also threatened the minority family. At present, the family of Hindu minority is living with panic.

14. Patuakhali District: Land of minority occupied in Kalapara taking the advantage of lockdown:

The land cultivating for 60 years by Narayan Sarkar, a minority of Puran Mahipur Village under Sadar Union under Mahirpur police station of Patuakhali district, was seized by land grabbers, terrorists Raihan Mir, Farooq Mridha, Kalam Chowkidar, Jahangir and Khalil on 24 April 2020. They already built houses there. Currently, the land grabbing gang is threatening the minority family to leave the area.

15. Dhaka District: 200 sage families deprived of relief in Fatulla

Rishipara, a Hindu locality of two hundred families situated on the north side of Nalkhali canal adjacent to Fatulla DIT in Dhaka is deprived of relief despite the coronavirus crisis is running. They are living a half-starved life due to the lockdown for prevention of Corona pandemic. The families complained that neither the local people’s representatives nor any people of government are looking for them. When they went to the local chairman Lutfar Rahman Swapan’s house and other leader’s house including Awami League general secretary and the chairman of Baktabali union for relief, but returned empty-handed.