Amnesty fears attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh after execution

Execution of a top leader of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami for war crimes in Bangladesh could lead to reprisal attacks on minority communities, especially Hindus, a leading human rights watchdog has warned.
Bangladesh executed Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah, infamous as the "Butcher of Mirpur", for 1971 war crimes last night, making him the first politician to be hanged for such crimes. "At this volatile time many people including minority Hindus are at risk of reprisal attacks....they are at particular risk of violence now the execution has been carried out," said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International's Bangladesh Researcher.
"Authorities must ensure that anyone at risk, especially Hindus are given the protection they need at this tense time. Whole villages were burned down in the violence against Hindus this year and no one has been brought to justice," he said in a statement.
"It is also crucial that all politicians in Bangladesh make it crystal clear to their supporters to refrain from human rights abuses, and that attacks on Hindu communities are unacceptable," said Faiz.
Jamaat cadres have targeted Hindus over the International Crimes Tribunal trials of the party's leaders relating to the 1971 liberation war. Many of the prosecution witnesses have been Hindus.

Courtesy:dnaindia dot com

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The Frightened Tale of Kauar Char

“I was entering my kitchen at around 10:00 AM. It was November 14 when suddenly around two thousand people broke into our yard, and later on our entire village carrying lethal weapons. Setting acts of arson. They plundered some gold ornaments, a TV, a refrigerator and a wardrobe out of my home. Within minutes my sweet home turned into ashes before my very eyes,” said Champa Rani Halder (age: 34).
It was Champa Rani and some fellow women of her village Kauar Char who were narrating their witness account. The horrendous tale of their plight to us on November 22 morning when a small team of us, a handful of former members of Dhaka University film society, visited the affected area. We caught up with them just after a communal harmony meeting (Sampriti Samabesh) was over in the panic stricken village. District Commissioner (DC) of Barisal, local Union Parisad Chairman from the present ruling party, Thana Nirbahi Officer (TNO), locally Elected MP from Awami League, members of Maha Nagar Puja Committee and members of Anubhab Samabay Samity (a Hindu community based Cooperative Society) were present in the meeting in presence of the villagers from both the villages: Kauar Char and the nearby village from where the attack came.
The unpleasant incident occurred at Kauar Char is known to all. A young man named Parvez Gazi was murdered on November 14, 2013. It was in the evening when he came to the neighbouring village of Kauar Char. The murder took place in the heat of the moment. Till now Parvez Gazi’s murder is shrouded in mystery. But the problem is the two alleged “killers” who were basically outsiders and had fled the scene while many innocent men, absent on the spot on the day, were arrested with their families harassed
Now who are the real perpetrators behind the fabrication of an ill motivated rumor that ignited mob sentiments to attack their neighbouring village? Some locals have testified on condition of anonymity that the local Union Parisad Chairman of Awami League may be one of the initiators as he could not secure a handsome number of votes from this Hindu village in last general elections. The students of Broja Mohan College of Barisal who pioneered the mob attack are proven cadres of Bangladesh Chattra League (BCL). The deceased Parvez Gazi’s elder brother is a leader of BCL Barisal. One police officer, on the condition of anonymity, informed that the onus of this arson attack and plundering of the Hindu village basically happened due to the callousness and negligence of the concerned administration.
We grieve and mourn the untimely death of Parvez Gazi and demand stern punishment of the killers. But what can justify plundering 16 families of a minority village?
The writer is Communication, Website and List-Serve Manager of Gender and Water Alliance (GWA).
Email: audity.falguni@gmail.com
Courtesy: the daily star dot com

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Criminals smash tombs, Plough land to occupy Hindu Cemetery

A portion of the cemetery, meant for cremation and in some cases burial, of the Hindus in Saidpur municipality under Nilphamari district gets ploughed by land grabbers who also demolished three tombs of the Hindus in the cemetery during the last few days. PHOTO: STAR

Influential land grabbers smashed three memorial tombs to illegally occupy land of the only cemetery of Hindu community in Saidpur municipality under the district.
The 1.29-acre land comprising plot No 21 at Kundol mouja under Saidpur municipality is a khas land, which is recorded as cemetery of the Hindu community, according to official document of upazila land office.
Visiting the sight on Tuesday morning, it was found that some people were ploughing about 30 decimals of the occupied land of the cemetery in its east to cultivate potato there.
“Since my childhood, I saw bringing of dead Hindus to the cemetery for funeral. But local influential people including Abdus Sattar and Shahjahan engaged day labourers on December 4 to smash and remove old memorial tombs and occupy cemetery land,” said octogenarian Md Amin, a resident of the area.
Nawsad Parvez, owner of Northern Cold Storage beside the cemetery, said,
“Hindus use it for burning dead bodies and spread the ashes in the Khorkhoria River flowing beside. They also buried some dead bodies in the cemetery and built tombs in their memory.”
At the north side of the cemetery, Hindus built a spacious room for keeping dead bodies safely in case of natural calamity. Priests recite holy verses there during the funeral.
During Tuesday’s visit, it was found that iron grills of windows and the door made of heavy iron bars of the room were stolen.
A vested quarter committed the crime to grab the cemetery land, said a few locals.
When contacted, Abdus Sattar, one of the alleged grabbers, said the land which was claimed by Hindus as cemetery land was their paternal property and they inherited it lawfully.
Another alleged grabber Shahjahan Ali said the Hindus’ claim was not right, as they had measured the land with genuine surveyor following land map. He however remained silent when this correspondent asked why they never forbade Hindus in the past to bury dead bodies and make tombs there.
Amit Kumar Roy, general secretary of Saidpur unit of Hindu Kalyan Society (welfare association), said, “Occupation of the cemetery land has hurt the sentiment of local Hindus. We lodged a written complaint to Saidpur UNO regarding the matter on December 8 and also recorded a general diary in local police station. If the local administration fails to ensure justice we will launch an agitation programme.”
Saidpur UNO Shafiqul Islam said, “I along with the officer in charge of Saidpur police station visited the spot on Tuesday afternoon and found the allegation to be true. I directed assistant commissioner (Land) to mark the cemetery area without delay. We have also identified the grabbers and legal action will be taken against them.”

Courtesy: thedailystar dot net

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Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh worrying, says BJP

The state unit of the BJP said Wednesday that sustained violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has resulted in the death of innocent lives across the border, but neither the Centre nor the state government have been vocal against such atrocities.
"It is disappointing to see that none from the Congress at the Centre or from the state government in Bengal have spoken against it. These attacks on the minorities must stop," said state BJP president Rahul Sinha.
He said that a seven-member team will visit the Bangladesh High Commission and submit a memorandum Thursday. They will later hold a satyagraha at College Street. "If these don't prod the government then we will start a 'Bangladesh Chalo' movement," he said.
He also came down heavily on the government's decision of shunting Siliguri commissioner K Jayaraman for arresting Malda DM Godala Kiran Kumar.
"It is a classic example of a thief getting rewarded and the police being punished. While the person who is at fault was given bail, the person who stood up against criminal activities had to lose his post," Sinha said, adding that on December 9, BJP will file a petition at the Calcutta High Court appealing for a CBI inquiry into the matter.
Referring to the Left Front boycotting the platinum jubilee celebrations closing ceremony he said, "It is true the Left should have attended the celebrations. However, not inviting former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was discourteous on the part of the government. The present Chief Minister must realise that she was setting a precedent, which might be followed 25 years down the line and at that time she might not remain the CM."

Courtesy:indianexpress dot com

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