Says HR boss
Star Report
Hindus across the country are still living in fear as
alleged BNP-Jamaat men unleashed fresh attacks in five districts,
burning homes, temples, and vandalising idols on Wednesday night and
yesterday.The minorities continue to receive threats as well.
Mizanur Rahman, chairman of National Human Rights Commission, while visiting Malopara of Abhaynagar in Jessore yesterday, said the government had failed to protect the Hindus and urged it to rehabilitate the affected.
At least 19 BNP-Jamaat men were arrested yesterday, 14 in Dinajpur, three in Bagerhat and two in Mymensingh. Apart from them, 774 reportedly BNP-Jamaat men were sued in Rangpur in connection with atrocities on Hindus.
On Wednesday night, criminals set fire to two temples in two villages of Bagerhat and two more at Kathom in Nandigram of Bogra.
Panic gripped the Hindus of Ramchandrapur in Morrelganj, Bagerhat, and in Nandigram, Bogra, when criminals vandalised several idols of Hindu gods before setting two temples on fire Wednesday night.
Law enforcers, including army and Rab personnel, visited the spot in Bagerhat yesterday morning and picked up three people for interrogation.
Police arrested two pro-BNP Jubo Dal activists while they were attempting to torch a temple at Kanihari in Trishal of Mymensingh yesterday morning. Locals had foiled their attempt to torch a temple, said Firoj Talukder, officer-in-charge of Trishal Police Station.
Meanwhile, criminals torched six hay heaps belonging to Ajit Chandra Mondal at Gangadaspur of Phulbari in Dinajpur early yesterday.
Criminals allegedly torched two houses of Rajib Acharjee at Enayetpur of Hathazari in Chittagong early yesterday. Firemen doused the flames around 4:30am.
Even though fire service officials claimed that they found no evidence of foul play, Rajib's nephew was adamant the houses were set on fire by criminals.
Hundreds of Hindu families of villages in Thakurgaon have been living in fear of attacks by BNP-Jamaat goons since the eve of the elections. They have formed neighbourhood watches.
Anil Sen, 35, of Deogaon, told The Daily Star that they had stopped going to Cheradangi Hat since election day fearing Jamaat-BNP attacks on them.
They alleged that people who had moved into the locality in the 1960s were the ones threatening the people who had been living there for ages.
Meanwhile, the Hindus who had left Kornai village of Dinajpur following attacks on them have started to return to their homes.
“We are yet to start our businesses,” said Raj Kumar, who used to run a pharmacy in Kornai Bazar. His shop was looted, vandalised and set on fire.
Akash Chandra Roy of an affected family said young girls and housewives were still staying away from the village.
NHRC VISITS MALOPARA
Chairman Mizanur Rahman yesterday said, “It is the duty of the government and the state to provide every citizen of the country with security.”
The Hindus of Malopara are now too scared to venture out of the village. Jamaat-Shibir activists were still threatening them, Kaushola Sarker, an elderly woman, told The Daily Star when he visited the village with the NHRC chairman.
“We will see how many days police will protect you,” Kaushola quoted a Jamaat-Shibir man as saying to them.
A large number of the young females of the community were staying out of the village. Resident Doyamoy Sarkar said, “I sent my daughter-in-law Parboti Sarkar to her father's house as we feel the village is not safe for us.”
The Jessore district administration yesterday formed a three-member probe body led by ANM Mainul Islam, additional deputy commissioner, to probe the incidents of attacks on the minorities. It was asked to submit its report in three working days.
