Hill Voice, 2 October 2023, Kurigram: A religious minority Pastoral poet (Palli Kabi) Radhapad Roy (80) of Nageshwari Upazila in Kurigram district, was attacked by two Muslim youths due to allegedly previous enmity. He was rescued with injuries and admitted to Nageshwari Upazila Health Complex.

Last Saturday (September 30, 2023), a local Kadu Mia (42) and his younger brother Rafiqul Islam (36) bled Radhapad Roy by beating in Madhaikhal village of Bhitarband union in the upazila. They are the sons of Mohammad Ali of Bachuarpar village of Bhitarband union.

In connection with this attack, Jugal Roy, son of the victim, has lodged a case with Nageshwari police station against the two brothers accused of the attack on the neighbouring area last Sunday (October 1). The two accused brothers have been on the run since last Saturday’s incident. Even after 3 days of the case, the police could not arrest the two absconding persons.

According to the statement of the case and the police sources, due to previous hostility, the two brothers named Rafiqul Islam and Kadu Mian attacked Palli Kabi Radhapad blocking the way in a planned way, last Saturday (September 30) in the evening. At that time, they left the spot after hitting the poet on various parts of his body with local-made weapons. Later, the locals rescued the victim with serious injuries and admitted him to Nageshwari Upazila Health Complex.

Jugal Roy, son of the poet Radhapad Roy, said, “Due to inter-family dispute, Rafiqul Islam and Kadu Mian assaulted my father in a planned way. They also threatened us not to file a case with the police station. I demand to arrest the accused as soon as possible and ensure justice.”

Poet Radhapad Roy, who is undergoing treatment in the hospital, said over the phone, “I had no previous enmity with Rafiqul. We had an altercation with Rafiqul’s brother Kadu Mian six months ago. To take revenge for that, Kadu Mian attacked me with his brother Rafiqul Islam. In fact, we forgot that incident happened six months ago. Even I cannot believe that they might hurt me like this finding me alone. If the locals had not come forward to help, they would have killed me. By God’s grace I somehow survived.”

It should be noted that Radhapad Roy could not be able to study much in his life. He studied only up to class five grade. He maintains his family with little earnings he gets by reciting his own songs and poems to others. His songs and poems written in local dialect have gained massive popularity in different areas. His poem ‘Kayamoter Alamat Jani kintu Mani Na’ has gone viral on social media. So far, Radhapad Roy himself has written more than one hundred songs and poems in local dialects.

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpighosty strongly condemned and protested against this heinous attack. In a statement last Monday (October 2, 2023), President of Udichi Central Samsad Prof. Badiur Rahman and General Secretary Amit Ranjan Dey said that such an attack on a senior pastoral poet is highly condemnable and not acceptable in any way. They demanded to find the persons involved in the incident and bring them to book immediately.