Bangladesh Minority Association
of DFW
Bangladesh Minorities Association of
DFW
Press Release, Date 10/23/01
Nearly 200,000 Hindu and Other Religious Minorities in
Bangladesh Terrorized by the Bangladeshi Government and Islamic
Fundamentalists.
October 12, 2001
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/mahyem_ajkerkagaj.html
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/janakant_news.html
We, the Hindu minority in a
Muslim majority Bangladesh, expatriates in the U.S.A, are deeply concerned
about the barbaric atrocities being committed to our family and friends in
Bangladesh. We have learned from different national newspapers, internet
resources, radio stations (BBC & Voice of America) as well as from our
personal contacts with our families in Bangladesh that they are living in great
fear for their lives, thousand have crossed the border to India to seek
sanctuary from the gun touting, knife welding Islamic fundamentalists and their
organizations. Hindus are being told to leave their property and are forced to
go to India or otherwise face the consequence. After the national election on
October 1st’2001, atrocities on Hindu communities are beyond the
description. These Islamic fundamentalist forces are abducting Hindu girls from
their homes and gang rapping them often in front of their parents, burning
their homes, looting their belongings, and causing inhumane physical tortures.
You might want to know “What the government is doing”. Government is saying,
“All these things are being blown out of proportion”. Please note, Islamic
fundamentalist group is part of the coalition government in Bangladesh and they
hold key Government positions. We strongly protest all these cruel and violent
activities on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.
We appeal to the American people and the US
Government to stand up with us and raise your voice against the barbaric
actions on the Hindu minority communities of Bangladesh patronized by the
present coalition government (Nationalist Party with Islamic fundamentalist -
Jammat). We have authentic evidence including newspaper, press releases and
documents from other non-government agencies and organizations operating in
Bangladesh that injustice and atrocities are being committed to our families
(Hindu). Since the national election of October 1st 2001, minority
Hindu population of Bangladesh are being targeted by the Islamic fundamentalist
groups as an opportunity to drive out Hindus from their ancestral homeland
Bangladesh, so that fundamentalist can declare Bangladesh as a true Islamic
country. This is nothing but a cruel attack on humanity like 11th
September’2001 in the U.S.A. This is
the time to stand up to voice our solidarity against Islamic fundamentalist
activities on the Hindu minority.
In protest of the inhuman actions, we will be
organizing a peaceful demonstration and rally on Oct 27/2001 at 10.00 A.M. near
the JFK Memorial Museum at downtown Dallas.
We have received approval from the Dallas city and
the County for the peaceful demonstration and we would like to invite every
body to take part in the rally and show your support against the barbaric
atrocities on humanity like the current oppression of Hindus in Bangladesh. We
are providing sufficient links for your reference.
We
believe humanity will survive and together, with your help, we will stop the
atrocities on the Hindu people of Bangladesh.
Convener,
Bangladesh Minorities Association of DFW, signs this press release.
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Subjugated and defamed Hindu
minorities of seven districts are leaving the Country: Mayhem in Bangladesh
Gopalganj's Ramshil village
is now a refuge camp
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/mahyem_ajkerkagaj.html
Report from Ajkerkagoj
Oct 11, 2001: The Hindu populated village of Ramshil
under Kutalipara upazilla of Gopalganj has become the refugee camp overnight.
Post Election violence in three districts of Bangladesh has displaced more than
15 thousand minority families who have taken refugee in the various schools,
colleges and open fields of Ramshil union. Ajkerkagaj reporter also stated that
villagers of Ramshil union have taken the initiative to feed those displaced
thousands with whatever little they have. Ramshil is now a refugee camp.
According to eyewitness reports - torture, oppression, looting, gang raping,
and atrocities can even overcome the barbarism of 1971.
The unaided and defamed thousands of these
minorities are from Gournadi of Agailzara under Barishal, Mullahat of Bitalmari
under Bagherhat and Najirpur of Firujpur. Among these districts the severely
affected area is Barishal where numerous women were gang raped and repressed
inhumanly. According to Chhatra League Secretary Rasel and Bipul, BNP and
Jamait allies went on a barbaric rampage in Chandshi, Bahadurpur, Barthi,
Pingolkati, Ashukati, Agailzara and numerous other places on minorities for
their support of Awami league. The barbaric laughter of the miscreants will
subjugate any other barbaric incidents in the world. They gang raped women
publicly, removed eyes of the victims, slaughtered any one in their way. An
eyewitness says, "you name any sorts of barbaric misdeeds, these Islamic
fundamentalists have committed them all." The barbaric raping of two teens
from Dhanduba under Gournadi sub-district by the aforementioned miscreants will
shame the entire world and challenge the very existence of civilization. They
have even poisoned the ponds so that the minorities cannot even drink water.
Most of the displaced minorities are preparing to leave Bangladesh. The
villagers of Ramshil are afraid that the Islamic fundamentalist may attack
their village too. Already one attack was prevented somehow.
The same barbaric rampages are reported from Rajshahi, Chapainababganj, Pabna, Atgoria, Kashinathpur and other Northern districts of Bangladesh. Hindu minorities from Dinajpur, Takurgawn, Gopalpur, Tarash Sirajganj, Ullapara, Gaibanda and Shahajadpur are already leaving the country. The indigenous people along with other minorities are also victims of the same barbaric rampage. There is no police action taken yet. Most of the victims stated that no police activity was seen anywhere. It is like a country without a government.
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15 thousands minority
families dislodged in two districts: thousands of houses ablaze, hundreds of
women raped
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/janakant_news.html
Report from Janakantha
Oct 10, 2001: Post election violence and oppression
against minority has displaced more than 15 thousands minority families in
Barishal and Bagerhat districts. The affected sub-districts are Gournadi,
Ujipur, Agailjara, Mullahat and Chitalmari. Hindu minorities from those
sub-districts are being forced out of their land and taken shelter at various
villages in Ramshil sub-district under Khotalipara districts. The displaced
minorities have taken shelter to various schools and colleges at Ramshil bazaar
and their relatives in those areas.
Islamic fundamentalists have initiated a rain of
terror forcing minorities to endure living in a nightmare condition in those
areas. Janakantha correspondence Mr. Mojammel Haq after visiting the affected
areas today (Tuesday) described that the situation is far grave than the
atrocities of 1971. Those family even not displaced in 1971, now they are
facing far severe condition and being forced out of their own native land. The
oppressed minority reported that due their support for Awami league in the
election, BNP supporters went on rampage setting ablaze houses and raping women
in Chadshi, Bahadurpur, Barthi, Pingolkati, Ashukati, Tarki Bandar, Narchira,
and Sharikal under Gournadi and Rangtha, Bakal, Rajihar, Chingatia, Ramshidha,
Dhanduba, Jayrampatti under Agailjara sub-district and everywhere in Ujipur.
With primitive laughter Islamic fundamentalists raped hundreds of women,
removed eye of victims and loot all the belongings of minority victims. Such
primitive and barbaric! atrocities cannot be expressed in words. Mr. Bimal
Biswas, a leader of local Awami league described middle age lawlessness and
barbaric rampage in the area.
He
mentioned that Islamic fundamentalist gang raped mother and her daughters of a
Hindu family from Uttachadni under Gournadi sub-district in front of public
eye. In another incident, three daughters of a minority family were taken out
of their house and gang raped publicly by Islamic fundamentalist. He also told
to the news conference that BNP cadres kidnapped most of the women and girls
from the villages at night, raped them overnight and released them in the
morning. Janakantha has also reported that Bangladesh government has not taken
any step to prevent such atrocities nor has provided food and shelter to the
thousands of victims. If food and shelter is not given immediately, most of the
displaced families will starve from lack of food and water.