Unprecedented torture upon 85 Hindu families at Saraiya, Joydevpur 

We also got further information of torture upon 85 Hindu families at village" Saraiya" within Gazipur district. The incident took place on 4th of Februry, 2003 at about 11.30 p.m. when Upazilla Election concluded in Taria Union Parishad Ward No.7. The Member candidate - Ruhul Amin son of late Baharuddin of Khatiya village and his gang threatened the Hindu community of Saraiya that due to non-casting of votes in favor of Ruhul Amin he could not be elected consequently those gang numbering 30/35 terrorists armed with deadly weapons ransacked the houses of 85 Hindus families and looted valuables, gold ornaments, TV, furniture and belongings. The terrorists also caused multiple injury upon the Hindus resulting which some of them admitted in different local Hospitals for treatment.
A case has been filed in Joydevpur police station at Gazipur District on 6th of February,2003  by a complainant Gokul Chandra Das son of late Dinabandhu Das of Saraiya.  (Joydebpur P.S. case No.10 dated 6.02.2003 has been started under section 147/148/149/323/324/325/380/427/506 of Bangladesh Penal code) Md. Alauddin S.I.of Police recorded the First information report (FIR) on 6.02.03 and investigation is going on and it is reported by the police that some terrorists have been arrested but they got bail from the court. A copy of the FIR has been handed over to us and we found that 85 Hindu families have been seriously affected due to terrorism. We got some picture and videotape with regard to persecution and torture upon the said Hindu families in that locality. We saw in the picture that the local U.P. Chairman visited the place of occurrence and consoled them for the time being. We could not visit the place of occurrence as we got some documentary evidences on this incident, which was also published, in different dailies in Bangladesh.

  Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): A Hindu women at Saraiya, Gazipur
 crying for help some terrorists looted all her belongings and beaten up
 mercilessly.

Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): A Hindu women of Saraiya showing the wounds on her body that depict the nightmare she had endured. Minority women are always subject to such brutality in Bangladesh. HRCBM has reported more than 1500 cases of brutal gang rape and assaults on minority women to the President of Bangladesh yet no justice being served.	Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): How much of the proof should be given to the government of Bangladesh to protect minority women? A Hindu women exactly doing the said, she is showing up the wounds she had to endured. Will justice be endowed? HRCBM doubts the intention of the government of Bangladesh.

Forceful occupation of Hindu landed Property owned by Anil Chandra Mitra and Jitendra Mitra 

One Abdul Hoque @ Haquee son of late Jahar Baksh forcefully occupied a portion of land of Anil Chandra Miatra in the Month of January,1998 and illegally constructed a semi-pucca structure therein. Anil Chandra informed the local members but they did not pay any attention to this illegal structure of Abdul Hoque. Lastly, one Abul Hossain, U.P. member and Md.Asaduzzaman Asad and with his gang 1. Md. Akhtaruzzaman son of Abdul Manan of Sarashpur, 2. Md. Nazrul Islam, son of late Abdur Razzak of Peorite, 3. Monir Hossaisn Monir son of late Nayeb Ali of Peorite , P.S. Kapasia, Dist. Gazipur and others approached the owner of the land on 4.2.2000 with an understanding that .23 sataks of land occupied by Abdul Hoque would be released through them and in consideration of that .5 sataks of lands would be transferred and registered to Md.Akhtaruzzaman. Accordingly Abul Hossain Member with some other conspirators  on 10.02.2000 purchased two non-judicial stamp papers of taka 100 and taka 50 with an intention to get signature of the owner of land 1.Jogendra Chandra Mitra and 2.Anil Chandra Mitra. Both the owners denied putting their signature on the blank stamp paper, but they have been convinced and given to understand that the portion of land occupied by Abdul Hoque would be recovered and put them into possession. The illiterate and simple land owner Jogendra and Anil agreed on principle that they would get their land recovered soon and put their signature and thumb impression on the blank non-judicial  stamp paper on good faith. But the conspirators afterwards did not fulfill their commitment and hatched a conspiracy to grab the whole properties of Anil and Jogendra.

The owners Jogendra and Anil, finding no other alternative, lodged a diary number 510 dated 14.2.2002 in Kapasia police station informing the police that the conspirators could prepare a "baina nama" agreement fraudulently. Jogendra and Anil also filed a criminal case number 59/2000 dated 16.2.2000 under section 98 of the code of criminal procedure for recovery of both the non-judicial stamps in the court of Ist Class Magistrate,Gazipur,

but the conspirators are taking time in this case, on the other hand conspirators - Md.Akhtaruzzaman son of Abdul Mannan of Sarashpur and Md.Mosleh Uddin son of Md. Momtazuddin  Fakir of Peoraite filed a Title suit No.74 of 2003 in the Court of Joint District Judge, Ist court, Gazipur for specific performance of contract against Jogendra and Anil showing a false" baina nama" incorporating .28 sataks of land in the agreement which culminated a long way for decision from the courts and put them in a very distressed condition. On the other hand the conspirators are constantly trying to dispossess the owners of the land by force and in the meantime coercion and duress are on increase

Press Conference by  owners of land Anil and Jogendra in the Dhaka Press Club :

On 29th March,2003 Anil Chandra Mitra ,Jogendra Mitra and others hold a Press conference in the National Press club. They explained their sufferings and oppression by the conspirators to the reporters of various news media and Advocate Rabindra Ghosh of HRCBM,Dhaka attended the press conference on that day and heard them and expressed sympathy with their sufferings and assure them to extend any legal help for recovery of their lands. Mr.Ghosh took their papers and documents from the Press conference and requested them to contact with him in future for any legal assistance. The greedy people are always on look to grab the properties of minorities by illegal means. These types of incidents of unauthorized occupation of lands in Bangladesh are enormous and minority communities are not in a position to ventilate their grievances to the public or press due to further oppression. But it is strange no note that except two news papers namely " Daily Sangbad" and "Daily Janakantha" no news was published on the next day. 

Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Dhaka): Adv. Rabindra Ghosh asking question to victims before the press at Dhaka National press club to depict the oppression against minorities in Bangladesh. The two victims Mr. Anil Chandra Mitra and Jogendra Mitra are describing their plights before the national Press. A group of muslim neighbor trying to evict them from their ancestral land. Will the justice be endowed on them?

 Note: This investigative report is written by Prof. Ashoke Taru of HRCBM-Dhaka, Bangladesh.