Hindu locality burnt after a youth’s death

November 17, 2013:Govt probe says 15 houses gutted fully, seven partly; damage estimated at Tk 1cr; most Nomopara residents flee village; police deployed; meeting for amity held; some arson victims get money, tin sheets

It all started with a trivial matter on Thursday evening when youths gathered at the primary school premises in Nomopara, a predominantly Hindu locality in Char Kawa village, about six kilometres east of Barisal city, to play badminton in floodlights.
During the match, an altercation broke out between a Hindu youth from Nomopara and a Muslim from neighbouring Char Aicha. At one point, Pavel Das, Shohagh Das, Pijush and Dhiman all from Nomopara slapped the youths from Char Aicha, numbering about seven. Pavel and his followers then held two of the Muslim men.
The other youths from Char Aicha rang up their friends and sought their help. The moment reinforcement came from Char Aicha, the Hindu youths ran into their nearby homes and brought out sharp weapons and resisted the attackers.
Shortly afterwards, four men from Char Aicha–Parvez Gazi, 20, his brother Pavel Gazi, 18, cousin Jahirul Hawladar, 22, and another relative Shamim Reza, 22–lay profusely bleeding on the ground with grievous wounds. Later when they were taken to Barisal Medical College Hospital, doctors declared Parvez dead around 9:00pm. With teeth wounds, Jahirul was transferred to Dhaka Dental College Hospital.

It was one of more than a dozen Hindu houses, which were set afire on Friday morning by people from neighbouring Char Aicha village. Photo: Star

  The district administration immediately deployed eight armed policemen in Nomopara and set up a camp there. But on Friday morning, four of the policemen were withdrawn by Officer-in-Charge of Bandar Police Station Rezaul Islam, leaving the strength of the law enforcers at only four.
But things were boiling at Char Aicha. At around 9:00am Friday, a rumour was spread in Char Aicha about the death of Jahirul in Dhaka.
Over a thousand men from Char Aicha joined in to attack Nomopara at exactly 9:50am. As the four policemen watched helplessly, the men torched down whatever they found on their way.
“I could never imagine so many people would attack the village in such a manner,” said the OC, Rezaul Islam.
According to the probe report prepared by a three-member team with Additional Deputy Commissioner (education) of the district administration Abul Kalam Azad as head, 15 Hindu houses in Nomopara were gutted fully and seven partly, wrecking a damage of about Tk 1 crore.
Most of around 300 residents of Nomopara have gone into hiding fearing further attacks, said locals.
“I’m scared. I don’t know the whereabouts of my husband and two sons, who fled the house Thursday night,” said Purnima Haldar, 40, in tears, sitting by her razed house.
Police arrested five youths of Char Kawa village including Pijush. At Char Aicha village, 20 youths were held yesterday for the arson attack, said the OC.
A unit of 20 policemen was deployed in Nomopara.

A tin-roofed house in flames. Burnt Hindu idols in the temple in Nomopara. Photo: Star

  Last evening, a meeting of amity between the victims and people from Char Aicha was held in the affected locality in the presence of Barisal Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Shahidul Alam and Divisional Commissioner Md Nurul Amin. The district administration gave some of the victims Tk 10,000 each and tin sheets to rebuild houses.