Attack on Prof. Sarbajit Chakraborty at Sultanpur :

As per allegation submitted in Bagerhat Sadar thana (Case No.11 dated 9.03.2003) we went to the house of .Sarbajit Chakraborty son of late Surendra Nath Chakraborty, Professor of Abul Kalam Degree College, Bagerhat by boat. Prof. Sarbajit was present at his home with the members of his family. He has three daughters, wife. He became happy to see us in the house on 14^th at about 3 p.m. and offered us tea and biscuits. He is known to be a good social leader in that locality. He is liked and respected by every body as teacher of a college. We talked with him and his family members. Prof.described us that on 6.03.2003 at dead of night at about 1-30 a.m. some unknown terrorists with deadly weapon and revolver appeared in his house and while Professor went out for natural call the terrorists fired some bullets on him indiscriminately and as a result some sprinter of the bullets causing severe injury on his chest and bally and he fell down. On hearing hue and cry the neighbor came for his rescue and also his family members saw the terrorists decamped realizing that Prof.Sarbajit has been killed. Neighbor took him to the nearest doctor Subash Das and ultimately he was taken to Bagerhat Medical college for treatment. The he filed a criminal case against 5/6 unknown persons in Bagerhat police station for attempting murder. But no criminals have yet been arrested. We saw the injury inflicted upon him and we saw the spot of injury still visible. We took photograph of the victims with the family members.

Prof. Sarbajit disclosed us that his eldest daughter Ms.Rimi Chakraborty (20) was kidnapped  from P.C.College at Bagerhat by some criminals on 17.07.1999 and as a result there was a case and all the criminals namely 1. Mantu, 2. Sayed 3. Zakir 4. Anwar 5. Shahidul were arrested and Ms.Rimi was recovered after 6 days. And most of the criminals were convicted and sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment by the competent court of law by its judgment dated 30.09.2001. It is understood that a portion of villagers are associated with this crime. An endeavor to evict him from his homestead all the time. Some of the criminals understood that being threatened Prof. Sarbajit will leave  the country and the criminals will be able to occupy his land. It is also understood that as the criminals got punishment by the court and some of the criminals got bail from the court and started bearing grudge upon him and attempted to murder. We apprehend that the reason of  attempt to murder is quite clear either to grab the land or to feed fat the ancient grudge as he has no son.  Prof. Sarbajit is now in panic. We also talked with the O.C. Bagerhat p.s.to take necessary steps in this case. But the O.C. told us that as the murder and rape case has got its publicity in various news papers this should be given preference first and all other cases will be taken into consideration after the burning incident goes out. We observed that no fruitful result of attempt to murder case of Prof.Sarbajit Chakravorty will come into existence as the Officer-in-charge is busy with Tapan murder and rape case in Komarpur.

 Fire on the house of Deb Das Samaddar of Fatepur village

Shri Deb Das Samaddar is very renowned social worker in Bagerhat. He is the President of National Hindu Party and Convener of Separate Electorate System in Bangladesh. He went to India with his wife for treatment 10 days before the incident of fire on his house at Fatepur village. We got the news and went to the spot within Bagerhat Sadar police station that the house of Deb Das Samaddar was set on fire by the terrorists on 10.03.2003 and as a result some valuables including valuable trees have been burnt to ashes and he sustained huge financial loss of taka 1,20,000/-. Deb Das Samaddar has got his youngest marriageable daughter Ms.Chandrima Samaddar(20) and his old mother-in-law. Most of the criminals within his locality always threaten his daughter for kidnapping. But on 10^th of March,2003 about about 23.45 hours some criminals set the house of Deb Das on fire knowing it fully well that Deb Das Samaddar is in India for treatment. At that time Ms.Chandrima was there along with her grant mother. A case was registered in Bagerhat police station (case No.14 dated 12.03.2003) under section 447/435 of the Penal code. The case has been filed by S.I. of Police – Md. Badsha Meah in absence of Deb Das Samaddar. We came to know that the cause of setting fire on the house of Deb Das Samaddar is out come of communal hatred and persecution and also to kidnap his youngest daughter and also to occupy his landed properties.

We came to know from the people of the locality on 14^th March,2003 on hearing of the news of setting fire at his house Deb Das Samaddar expired in India and his dead body was  reaching in Bagerhat very shortly. We also talked with the O.C. Bagerhat Sadar police station regarding this incident and accordingly the O.C. told us that some persons namely 1.Sheikh Alamgir Hossain, 2. Sohel son of Mostafa Mastger 3, Abul son of Sahajahan and 4. Samad have already been arrested in this connection. We apprehend that the case will not be proceeded at the long run  as the guardian of the house Deb Das expired leaving behind only one daughter and his old mother-in-law. The family has become now helpless and there is none to look after the family. We could not stay there as we had to go to Khulna Medical college Hospital to see and talk to the raped-victims of Komarpur incident. At that time in Bagerhat the weather was not good and it was raining. We observed that a sense of insecurity and uncertainty amongst the Hindus in Bagerhat were  prevailing.

Fate of criminal case filed by Debendra Chakravorty of Bishnupur, Chirulia P.S.

Before and after the national election was over in the year,2001, there was severe attacks on Hindus in different parts of Bagerhat, we on behalf of HRCBM,Dhaka visited extensively  those places on 12.5.2001 to 19.5.2001 and also on different dates to ascertain the damages caused to the minorities and found that one Debendra Nath Chakravorty(62) son of late Purna Chandra Chakravorty of village Bishnupur, P.O..Chirilulia, Bagerhat lodged a complaint before O.C. Bagerhat Sadar P.S.against the following criminals on the allegations inter alia  that on 5.08.2001 on Sunday at about 8 a.m. jumped over Shankar Chakravorty(23)( son of the complainant) armed  with sharp weapons and started to assault on him and as a result Shankar was taken into Hospital for treatment and the criminals looted one gold chain from his neck amounting to Tk.7000/- and also attacked the house of complainant destroying the furniture and other valuables. One criminal named Md.Badsha Meah raped the wife of Debendra Nath, a 50 years old women , on that day and a case was also filed against him in the police station. But the case has been put into dustbin for the reason best known to the administration. The following accuseds are responsible for the offence := 

1. Sahin Shikdar son of Ashrab Ali Shikdar,

2. Keramat Shikdar son of L.ate Ukiluddin Sikdar,

3. Ashrab Ali Sikdar son of L. Daliluddin Sikdar,

4. Asad Sikdar son of late Ukiluddin sikdar,

5. Majit Sheikh son of late Alimuddin Sheikh,

6. Younus Akon son of Salam Akond,

7. Saiful Mollah son of Ashrab Ali Mollah

8. Mozaffar Mollah son of Meajan Mollah,

9. Motaleb Sheikh son of Ismail Sheikh,

10. Jahar Ali son of not known

11. Hemayet Sheikh son of Fazar Sheikh 12. Aziz Sheikh son of Hemayet Sheikh, 13.Hafizul Sheikh son of Hamid Sheikh, all of Bishnupur village. 14. Moni Sheikh son of Rahaman Sheikh 15. Pintu Sardar son of Mansur Sardar, 16. Shahinur Shikh son of late Raham Sheikh and 17.Motahar Mollah son of late Saheb Ali Mollah, all of Kuliadar.

 A regular case dated 6.8.2001 was started against the accuseds noted above under section 143/443/442/373/379/427 of Bangladesh Penal code in Bagarhat Sadar Police station. But on the other hand Mollah Asmat Ali of the same village filed a false counter case against Shankar Chakravorty son of Debendra Nath Chakravorty on the allegation that Shankar Chakravorty snatched away Taka 500/- from the pocket of Moniruzzaman and a watch amounting to Taka 1,500/- in the said police station whose number is 16 dated 6.8.2001. In this case Shankar got bail from the court. And all other accuseds in previous case filed by Debendra Nath Chakravorty got bail from the court. 

We talked with the victim Shankar Chakravorty who told us that the accuseds of their case were tremendously threatening them to withdraw the case from the court; otherwise the members of their family will be in great danger. Finding no other alternative the complainant Debendra Nath filed a petition of compromise in the court and the accuseds noted above have been discharged from the charges levelled against them in the F.I.R. But it is strange to note that the counter false case filed by Mollah Asmat Ali on 6.8.2001 against Shankar  in the court has not yet been withdrawn due to reason best known to them. This sort of discriminatory treatment against the religious minorities in Bangladesh is not only a single instance, but there are a series of incidences like this which generally do not come in day light for proper adjudication and equitable justice due to lack of knowledge of equality and good conscious of the people in particular. 

We have perused both the complaints of the both the parties and have been given to understand that the equal right to live and to enjoy their own property in terms of Articles 102(1) and (2) enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh has been shattered and the fungus of religious fundamentalism infected severely both the civil and public administration of the country. The oppression and repression of the religious fundamentalists by the shameful silence and inaction of the state administration have invaded the life of religious minorities totally unbearable, intolerable and dangerous. And way of exodus of minorities is being created by state- sponsored mechanism in different devices on different occasions.

 We investigated four incidence of torture in Bagerhat within one day and could gather more information of oppression and repression upon the religious minorities, but the inhabitants of Hindu family are not in a position to describe all these to us because of further repression and torture.

We came back from Bagerhat on the next day ,that is ,on 15^th of March,2003 and  informed the Inspector-General of Police, Dhaka and Additional Inspector-General of Police(CID),Dhaka about the situation in Bagerhat and they assured us that necessary steps will be taken in this regard by the administration..

Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): Adv. Ghosh is talking with Officer in Charge at Bagherhat Police Station.	Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): From left UP Chairman Noor Md. Sheik, Niranjan Chakrabarty, local leader of HBCUC.

Note: This investigative report is prepared by HRCBM-Dhaka, Bangladesh.