HRCBM Investigative Report-Bajitpur Police station, Dist.Kishoreganj

Investigative Report at village "Ainargope " within Bajitpur Police station, Dist.Kishoreganj conducted by Human Rights Congress for Bangladedsh Minorities(HRCBM) Dhaka, Bangladesh on 17th and 18th of April, 2003

I, Advocate Rabindra Ghosh along with one of our HRCBM volunteer Pradwip Kumar Roy proceeded towards Kishorganj district on 17th April, 2003 at about 8 a.m.by Bus from Dhaka on receipt of an information that about 500 Hindu man, women and children at village -Ainargope had been attacked, looted, and had to take shelter as refugee in Bajitpur "Hari Shava" Mandir having been tortured by some terrorists while Hindu religious function" Nam Jaggaya Hare Krishna Kirtan " in the village Ainargope within Bajitpur was going on in "Kali Bari" on 8th April,2003 to 12th April,2003.

We reached Kishoreganj District Bar Association at about 12-30 p.m. on April 17, 2003, talked with Advocate Shah Azizul Hoque, reporter of "Janakantha", Advocate Bikash Majumder, Adv.Asoke Sarkar, Sk. Noor Nabi, a Notary Public of Kishoreganj Bar. They all requested us to go to Bajitpur Upazilla by train 65 Kilometers from Kishoreganj.We went to the Office of Dy.Commissioner, and the Superintendent of Police, Kishoreganj to know the situation, but both the Government administrative authority were not available in their office during my visit.

We boarded the train at about 1 p.m. from Kishoreganj Railway station and reached Bajitpur Railway station at about 2 p.m. on the same day. We then went to house of Adv.Saileswar Das of Tamaltala (Mathurapur), a good social worker of that locality. Adv.Das was not available at his house and we went to Bajitpur Chowki as per instruction of the members of his family and found his whereabouts.

Meeting with O.C. Bajitpur Police station :

We went to Bajitpur Police station, talked with O.C. Md.Jamaluddin, S.I. Tariqul Islam and two U.P. members of Ainargope namely 1.Md. Fatik Chan Meah son of Late Taleb Hossain Meah 2.Lal Meah son of late Montaz Meah present at the time of our discussion in the P.S. The O.C. and the U.P. members present admitted the incident of repression upon the Hindu fishermen in Ainargope Island and two cases have been registered in the police station one after another against the terrorists on April 11 and April 13, 2003 filed by victim Ananda Chandra Das.

We came to know on going through the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by Ananda in Bajitpur P.S. Case No.10 dated 11.4.2003 under section 143/385/427/354/379 of B.Penal Code that during continuance of "Hare Krishna Kirtan" and "Nam Jaigga" in Ainargope Kali Mandir on April 8, 2003 the FIR named accused with deadly weapons and malafide intention along with other co-accuseds attacked the Mandir, looted valuables, terrorized the area, disconnected the electricity line, caused severe injuries to the victims, took away money and gold ornaments from different victims such as 1.Ms.Manju Rani Das daughter of Bidhu Bhusan Das, 2.Ms.Shova Rani Das daughter of Bidhu Bhusan Das 3. Gouri Rani Das wife of Paresh chandra Das of all Ainargope, Bajitpur, Kishoreganj District. The following terrorists named in the FIR dated 11.4.2003 are as follows :-

1.Zillur Rahaman son of late Abdul Wahed
2. Md. Ali Islam son of Abdus Sattar
3. Taher Meah of late Abu Meah
4. Younus Meah son of Abdus Sattar
5. Kader Meah son of Sekander Bhuiya6. Towhid son of Abdul Wahed
7. Manju Meah son of late Kanai Bepari
8. Ferdous Bepari son of Ibrahim
9. Mashiur Rahaman son of Habibur Rahaman and more 5-6 persons.

All are of Ainargope Bajitpur P.S., Dist. Kishoreganj.

Second Attack on Hindu Fishermen by the Terrorists on April 11, 2003:

On hearing the news of criminal case ( FIR No.10 dated 11.4.2003) filed by the victim Ananda Das in the P.S. against the above terrorists, more 100 terrorists having been revengeful armed with deadly weapons further attacked throwing stones, damaging tin sheds houses, looting the valuables of the victims, causing heavy financial loss of Tk.40,000. Consequent upon the attack the following victims sustained injuries: -

1. Jahar Lal Das(37) son of late Nagar Banshi Das
2. Paramananda Das(60) son of not known
3. Paresh Das son of Upananda Das
4. Mahal Das son of not known
5. Ms.Fulmala wife of Arinda Das
6. Ms.Sailabala wife of not known
7. Ms.Rebati Rani Das wife of Padma Mohan Das
8. Ms.Basanti Rani Das wife of Upendra Das
9. Ms. Kalpana Rani Das wife of Narayan Das
10.Ms.Arati Bala Das wife of Ramesh Ch.Das
11.Ms.Shandha Rani Das wife of Ananda Mohan Das
12.Ms.Chaya Rani Das wife of Shasni Das
13.Ms.Kanchan Bala Das13.Sadananda Das son of Mahananda Das.
All of Ainargope Island within Bajitpur P.S.

Due to attack some of the seriously injured victims were admitted to Bajitpur Hospital for treatment and later on released from the Hospital being treated.

Due to atrocities the victims get refugee at Bajitpur "HARISHAVA MANDIR"

1. Rabindra Das son of Sadananda Das
2. Mahananda Das son of Sarbananda Das
3. Upananda Das son of Sarbananda Das
4. Surendra Das son of Chachindra Das
5. Nirmal Das son of Rabindra Das
5. Nirmal Das son of Rabindra das
6. Sujan Das sonof Mahananda Das
7. Liton Das son of Rabindra Das
8. Bimal Das son of Rabindra Das
9. Manindra Das son of Jagabandhu Das
10.Naresh Das son of Jagabandhu Das
11.Narayan Das son of Manindra Das
12. Bikash Das son of Manindra Das
13. Sampad Das son of Naresh Das
14. Debashish Das son of Narayan Das
15. Nepal Das son of Jatindra Das
16. Asit Das son of Radha Charan Das
17. Nepal Das son of Jatindra Das
18. Surjya Kanta Das son of Sreedhar Das
19. Tapash Das son of Nepal Das
20. Mitu Das son of Nepal Das
21. Bhola Nath Das son of Birendra Das
22. Anath Das son of Dhirendra Das
23. Bikash Das son of Bhola Das
24. Rikash Das son of Bhola Das
25. Pabitra Das son of Phani Bhusan Das
26. Sushen Das son of Pabitra Das
27. Bimal Das son of Shambhu Das
28. Mohan Lal Das son of Tuni Ram Das
29. Anil Das son of Mahal Lal Das
30. Netai Das son of Mohan Lal Das
31. Goura Das son of Sreekrishna Das
32. Lalit Mohan Das son of Prithy Mohan Das
33. Abiram Das son of Lalit Mohan Das
34. Bimal Das son of Lalit Mohan Das
35. Jahal Lal Das son of Negor Das.
36. Harindra Das son of Aldhar Das
37. Debaraj son of Padmohan Das
38. Nani Gopal Das son of Nibaran Das
39. Sajal Das son of Nibaran Das
40. Ramesh Das son of Sreecharan Das
41. Paritosh Das son of Ramesh Das
42. Sanjit Das son of Ramesh Das
43. Ranjit Das son of Neresh Ch.Das
44. Bimal Ch.Das son of Kamal Ch.Das
45. Ratan Das son of Kamala Das
46. Jiban Das son of Remesh Das
47. Sachuni Das son of L. Upendra Das
48. Naresh Ch.Das son of Sricharan Das
49. Uttam Das son of Sachuni Das
50. Nigesh Das son of Sachuni Das
51. Ananda Das son of Sachuni Das
52. Paramananda Das son of Upedra Das
53. Shymal Das son of late Upendra Das
54. Netai Das son of late Rajendra Ch.Das
55. Jayanta Das son of Rajendra Ch.Das
56. Sreenanda Das son of Rajendra Das
57. Benode Das son of Rajendra Das
58. Gostalal Das son of Rajendra Das
59. Nirmal Ch.Das son of Kanai Das
60. Upendra Das son of Rashik Das
61. Paresh Ch. Das son of Upendra Das
62. Biswanath Das son of Shyam Kishore Das
62. Baddinath Das son of Biswanath Das
63. Prasun Das sonof Biswasar Das
64. Brahmananda Das sonof Mahananda Das
65. Samananda Das son of Mahananda Das
66. Netai Das son of Paramananda Das
67. Paritosh Das son of Shymapada Das
68. Shymal Das son of Paramananda Das
69. Parimal Das son of -do-
70. Nirmal Das son of -do-
71. Sudharam Das son of Sabananda Das
72. Rabindra Das son of -do-
73. Subash Ch.Das son of Shyam Lal Das
74. Hara Kumar Das son of Jagabandhu Das
75. Shambhu Das son of -do-
76. Haridhan Das son of Nikunja Das
77. Pubraj Das son of -do-
78. Haripada Das son of Nitya Gopal Das
79. Shital Das son of Nitya Gopal Das
80. Bhidhu Bhusan Das son of Chandra Kishore Das
81. Jatindra Das son of Jogesh Das
82. Aviman Das son of Upendra Das
83. Surabala Das wife of Mahananda Das
84. Suchitra Rani Das wife of Surendra Das
85. Sarwasati Das wife of Amrita Das
86. Basanti Das wife of Upendra Das
87. Kalpana Das wife of Narayan Ch.Das
88. Parul Bala Das wife of Nepal Ch.Das
89. Renu Bala Das wife of Bholanath Das
90. Parash Moni Das wife Lalit Mohan Das
91. Ashtami Rani Das wife of Nani Gopal Das
92. Gouri Bala Das wife of Naresh Ch. Das
93. Arati Bala Das wife of Remesh Das
94. Sandhya Rani Das wife of Sachuni Das
95. Jamuna Rani Das wife of Ananda Das
96. Kanchan Bala Das wife of Sabananda Das
97. Joshna Rani Das wife of Sukumar Das

Mr.Nasrul Anwar, a renowned reporter of "Daily Prathom Alo" at Bajitpur reported the incident of torture and repression on the Hindus in Ainargope in the daily "Prathom Alo"which was published in the said paper on 16th and 17th of April 2003. As a result the local BNP jote activists paraded a procession against Nasrul Anwar demanding immediate withdrawal and punishment of Nasrul Anwar for such reporting.

In this connection further complain (FIR) has been lodged in Bajitpur police station by the same victim Ananda Das against 25 terrorists and 25/30 unknown terrorists.. And Bajitpur P.s. case No.14 dated 15.4.2003 under section 143/447/323/325/447/325/379/427/506/34 of Bangladesh Penal code has been started, although the complain has been lodged on 13th of April, 2003 in the police station, but the case has been started on 15.4.03. On perusal of the FIR it transpires that the following terrorists were involved in committing such crimes against Hindu fishermen:-

1. Latif Meah son of Hasen Ali
2. Zillur Rahaman son of late Abdul Wahed
3. Saju Meah son of Samed Meah
4. Ali Islam son of Abdus Sattar
5. Taher Meah sonof Abu Meah
6. Jalal Meah sonof Layez Meah
7. Farid Meah sonof Abdus Sattar
8. Khokan Meah son of Abdur Rashid
9. Fatik Meah son of Samed Meah
10.Bacchu Meah son of Samed Meah
11.Tuku Meah sonof Samed Meah
12. Nurul Islam son of Samed Meah
13. Sahid Meah son of Latif Meah
14. Mashiur Rahaman son of Habibur Rahman
15. Abdul Ali son of Abdur Razzak
16. Yousuf Meah son of Abdus Sattar
17.Zahed Meah son of Abu Meah
18. Falu Meah son of Nuru Meah
19. Ferdous Meah son of Ibrahim
20. Quddus Meah son of Ibrahim
21. Kadir Meah son of Sekandar
22. Abdullah son of Sekandar
23. Touhid son of Wahed Meah
24.Manju Meah son of Kanai Bepari and more 20/25 unknown accused.

All of Ainargope Island, P.S. Bajitpur, Dist. Kishoreganj.

Due to second incident of repression about 120 Hindu fishermen in Ainargope Islam took shelter at "Sree Sree Harishava Mandir" and all the victims were given temporary shelter and food for two days and they left Harishava Mandir after getting assurance from the BNP leaders that there would not be any further attack and repression on them in future.

No accused has yet been arrested by Police till writing of the Report:

I asked the Investigating Officer - S.I. Tariqul Islam and O.C. of Bajitput P.S. why accused has not yet been arrested in connection with two cases filed by Ananda Das although the allegations are serious in nature. The Police told me that the accuseds were absconding in the remotest area and if they were found they would be arrested for proper justice. I requested the O.C. to give us force to visit the place of occurrence and he agreed, as the place of occurrence is 14 kilometers away from Bajitpur Police station. And the only communication to reach Ainargope is by trawler. We stayed at Bajitpur at night on 17th April, 03 arranged by a good social leader Sri Radha Shyam Chowdhury

Visit to Place of occurrence " Ainargope " Island :

I along with Adv.Saileswar Das, Law Adviser to Bangladesh Human Rights Commission,Bajitpur, Police constable No.408 Md.Mofazzal, and Pradwip Roy of HRCBM went to Trawler Ghat from Bajitpur town 5 kilometers away on 18.4.2003 at about 8-30 a.m. and hired a trawler to go to Ainargope to see the present situation and also to give necessary assistance to the victims of torture. We accordingly reached Ainargope by trawler through two rivers (Gora Uddra) and ( Meghna ) within 2 hours and most of the victims became astonished to see us at their midst and started to tell tales of their sufferings/miseries one after another and crying for justice as they had been attacked by the terrorists two times during continuance of Hindu religious function " Hare Krishna Kirtan " at Sree Sree Kali Mandir premises on 11th and 13th April,2003.

We conducted investigation in presence of the local U.P. Chairman Md.Tayabur Rahman, U.P. Member Md.Fatik Chand Meah son of late Taleb Hosain Meah, and another U.P. member Lal Meah son of late Montaz Meah and other local influential persons. Almost 150 persons were present during our investigation and deposed that the incident is quite motivated and subsequent attack on Hindu fishermen is completely based on vindictiveness and out of religious fanaticism. During our investigation we also went to some of the houses of terrorists, although those terrorists were not available, the female inmates of the house told us that the local U.P. Chairman with the collusion of Hindus were trying to implicate their son unnecessarily.

The following victims showed us their injuries and told us to take necessary action against the terrorists and they want us to give them assurance for their security of life :

1)Jahal Lal Das(24) son of Late Nagar Banshi Das was examined and we found his head injured by stones thrown by terrorist causing severe hole on head. He also received multiple injuries on his leg and body. He was admitted to Bajitpur Medical Clinic and got treatment. He also gave us thumb impression for making affidavit.

2) Rebati Rani Das (41) wife of Pada Mohan Das of Ainargope was examined and we found her body full of stains and still visible. She was admitted to Hospital for treatment. She also gave us thumb impression for making affidavit.

3) Basanti Rani Das (46) wife of Upendra Das of Ainargope was examined and we found her leg injured by "Kantir Par" thrown by terrorists. She was also admitted to Hospital for treatment. She gave us thumb impression on the written document for making affidavit.

4) Kalpana Rani Das (35) wife of Narayan Das of Ainargope was examined and we found her body injured and her left leg has been seriously injured by terrorists. She also gave us signature on the written document for making affidavits.

5) Ful Mala (35) wife of Arinda Das of Ainargope was examined and we found her leg injured by stones thrown by terrorists. She also gave us signature for making affidavits.

6) Arati Bala(42) wife of Ramesh Chandra Das was examined and we found her left hand injured and she put her thumb impression on the written document for preparation of affidavit.

7) Shandha Rani Das (32) wife of Ananda Mohan Das of Ainargope was examined and we found her both legs injured. She put her signature on the written document for making affidavit. She wants justice from us.

8) Chaiya Rani Das (42) wife of Shashri Das of Ainargope was examined and we saw her body full of stains and she put her signature on the written documents for making affidavit. She also wants us to do justice for her.

9) Paresh Chandra Das (32) Upananda Das of Ainargope was examined and we saw her body full of holes due to heavy pressure of stones to him. He also put signature on the paper authorizing us to make affidavits.

10) Sabananda Das son of Mahananda Das of Ainargope was examined and we found serious injury in the knee and he put his signature on the paper for making affidavits.

The following influential person were present and put their signature admitting repression upon the Hindu fishermen:-

1. Lal Meah
2. Md. Nuruzzman
3. Abdus Sattar
4. Semon Ali
5. Md. Momin Meah
6. Md. Abu Sadeque
7. Md. Myful
8. Md. Ahad
9. Md. Kamruzzaman
10.Md. Mafuz Ali
11.Abdul Jalil. All of Ainargope, Bajitpur P.S., Dist. Kishoreganj.

Certificate from the local U.P. Chairman :

The local U.P. Chirman , Maizchar U.P.No.9 Mr.Md.Taiyabur Rahman gave us a certificate duly signed by him that the incident of torture and repression upon the Hindu fishermen in Ainargope took place on 8.4.2003 and subsequently on 11.4.2003. As a result 15/20 man and women were injured, 100 to 110 persons had to leave their village due to atrocities upon them and two criminal cases had been registered in Bajitpur police station. And no accused persons have yet been arrested. Md. Taibabur Rahaman also confirmed us that the news of torture and repression upon the Hindus in Ainargope was correct and genuine.

We found that some of the people who don't' want to leak out the incident of torture upon the Hindus in Ainargope and utmost measures had been taken to suppress the incident of torture and repression upon them. But their entire endeavor ended in smoke. Professor Indrajit Das, BNP leader of Bajitput told us that the incident took place is true, but no incident of rape took place there. But on interrogation two women told us that the terrorists have attacked them but they feel shy to disclose the incident of rape. But the allegation made in the F.I.R. at Police station discloses that terrorists have raped some of them.

It is surprising to note that in spite of innumerable struggle for their existence in the Island Ainargope, some of the victims arranged for lunch for us and we took Hilsha fish, dal and rice with full satisfaction. The hospitality shown by the victims of the locality on us is unforgettable and will be remembered for days to come. We gave them assurance to visit further if any problem arises in future.

We again boarded the trawler at about 3-30 p.m. and reached Bajitpur town at about 5-50 p.m. and informed the Officer-in-Charge of Bajitpur P.S.regarding our spot investigation at Ainargope and requested him to exert his influence to arrest the criminals and to mete out justice to the destitute Hindu fishermen. Assistance given by Adv.Saileswar Das to us is praiseworthy and cordial.

We took Rikshaw to go to Main Road Bus stand and reached there within one hour and there from we got Gate Lock Bus, boarded for Dhaka and reached Dhaka at about 11 p.m. on 18th of April,2003.

Prepared and submitted by:

Adv.Rabindra Ghosh.
President, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM)
Bangladesh Chapter,Dhaka.