(2004) RULING PARTY CADRES UNLEASH TERROR ON MINORITIES IN KALICAHAR VILLAGE, BANGLADESH

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities ^ | 05/08/2004 | Daily Janakantha

[underlying]

RULING PARTY  CADRES UNLEASH TERROR ON MINORITIES IN KALICAHAR VILLAGE, BANGLADESH

 OVER ONE HUNDRED HOMES BROKEN INTO, RAVAGED AND LOOTED

Report: Daily Janakantha dated 05/08/04. 

KALIA in the district of  Norail, Bangladesh is burning from the vengeful terror  attacks of ‘Alliance”  party cadres and their supporters. These terrorists stuck at a minimum of four small villages where minorities live. All night long on Thursday, they attacked and ravaged more than one hundred homes. They robbed the villagers of their possessions. Terrified families deserted their homes and took shelter in the forest or in other villages that so far escaped these terror attacks. Since Friday morning the terror struck men, women and children have been running away from this area.  Many homes are left behind bolt locked from outside. The villagers who are still there are frightened of their life- they fear new attacks. There reigns an atmosphere of deathly quiet and none of the traders has opened for business. Tragically, in the aftermath Mrs Buri Ghosh, who was pregnant, died for want of medical attention.

 

Rampaged villages reveal an atmosphere of “all hell broke loose”  to any reporters arriving there. The terrorists picked on villages with largely Hindu population  namely, Madhavpasa, Kaligonj, Charkhali, Jaipur, Laxmipur, Chalna, Chhoto Kalia, SitaRampur, Mirjapur, Chanpur. All the inhabitants on the village of Mirjapur are followers of Hindu faith. And every house in that village was targeted. The terrorists used Machetes and other weapons to rampage these homes. Metallic rooftops, and the drainage system were deliberately damaged. And then they looted all the cash and other valuables inside those homes. Even the chicken sheds were emptied. The villagers left their homes with only what they were wearing at the time.

 

Journalists from both Khulna and Norail who set out on Friday to travel to ground zero (Kaliachar) were palpably scared. Alliance cadres placed themselves at every cross section of roads on the route to Kaliachar. They were asked about where they were coming from and about their destination. All new visitors were being watched. No matter which road one takes, one has no choice but to return on the same route. As a result these perpetrators could carry on with their crimes without being bothered. Each and every reporter disguised his profession, and roamed around the locality. Eyewitness accounts noted that the incidents started between 8 pm and 8.30 pm on Thursday. Between 200 and 300 armed cadres assembled at the local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) office and then came out all together and begun to unleash their terror attacks. The reign of terror continued all night long until dawn on Friday. They shot at Shivpada Roy in Chhoto Kalia village. Also, they demanded a 100,000 Rupee donation (i.e. in lieu of infidel protection tax) from Nishi Kanta, a local businessman. The terrorists formed into small groups in order to target individual homes. on which they unleashed their attacks. The inhabitants of those homes made immediate choice to protect their life and sprinted out of their residences. Some of the names of both Hindu and Muslim owners of the  rampaged homes are Tapas Biswas, Asim Pal, Gobinda Pal, Jiten Pal, Jaharul Haq, Ashraff Mullah, Afzal Mullah, Nitai Biswas, Anil Biswas (of Beshna?? village); Sabur Sheikh, Bilu, Sarwar Sheikh, Krishna Axharya, Tuku, Afizur Rahman,  (of Chhoto Kalia village); Mahtabuddin, Saifullah, Siddikur Rahman, Abid Hussain  (of Chandppur village). This apart all the Hindu households in Mirjapur were rampaged.

 

Fleeing mostly are the Hindu females and children who fear for their life and dignity. Describing the situation of his locality, Kabirul Haq, Chairman of the municipality, declared that these atrocities occurred due to the revenge attacks organized by “Alliance” candidates who were defeated in the local election. He was surprised that the local police acted as silent observers. He is deeply concerned about his own security, as well. Sahidul Islam, acting head of Kalia police station said that he tried to do his best with limited resources. An official mentioned, on condition of anonymity, that the locally based  “Alliance” leader with strong influence on the current Bangladeshi Government was directly responsible for what has happened. That is the reason why the police was not taking any action. Addressing a press conference, Abul Kalam Azad, President of Awami League (the opposition party) for the district of Norail District, stated that the local Member of. Parliament, Hirendranath Saha, is accountable for these atrocities. He further told the reporters that an announcement was made by the local “Alliance” representative just before the recent election that should the Alliance candidates lose the election, all Hindus would be evicted from here. “Alliance” cadres are now carrying out that threat.

 

[milford421]

Am I correct in assuming the perpetrators were muslim while the minority victims are Hindu?

[ncountylee]

Had to be the Jews again.

[underlying]

From the article: Also, they demanded a 100,000 Rupee donation (i.e. in lieu of infidel protection tax) from Nishi Kanta, a local businessman.

Muslims demand Jizya from non-muslims: http://answering-islam.org.uk/Index/J/jizya.html.

A example of jizya: Fundamentalists demand Mafia-style protection money from Copts

[yooling]

You beat me to it! If only the Zionists would stop doing whatever it is that they're doing, the mooselimbs would all be sooooo peaceful and stuff like this wouldn't happen anymore. /sarcasm>

[yooling]

I coudn't have said it better myself.