FYI:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Hi All,
Minority houses/Temples belonging to Hindus attacked, burnt and
vandalized over face book posting rumors at Santhia Upazila of Pabna
district on 2nd of November, 2013 ( Almost all news papers of
Bangladesh dated 3rd Nov,13) High Court orders arrest of perpetrators
, BDMW investigating the cases at the spot : ( The Daily Star, The New
Age, The Janakantha, The Protom Alo, The Ajkaler Khabar, Dainik Amader
Samoy, The Sangbad dated 3rd November, 2013)
At least 25 houses and four Temples of Hindus were attacked and 11
houses set on fire by a group of agitated Muslim men of Bongram
village of Santhia Upazila in Pabna on Saturday following rumors that
a Hindu boy posted something in face book maligning Prophet Muhammad
(SM)
Locals and police said that the attacks were carried out in the
morning following the rumour was spread by a group of people mostly
youths and continued for several hours.
The Superindedent of Police at Pabna Mr. Miraj Uddin ahmed, could not
confirm whether the posting existed on the social media website,
Facebook. He, however, told the reporters "We are investigating to
find any such posting on the boy's wall"
He claimed that the situation was now under control after day long
trouble as additional law enforcers were deployed in the affected
area.
Witnesses said that some people at the local market showed a computer
printout of the image of a Face book group that allegedly demeaned
Islam and the Prophet.
Being instigated, the local attacked at the house of Rajib Saha, a
class X student of Miapur High School, who allegedly wrote something
on his Face book wall.
As the attackers did not find Rajib Saha, they picked up his father
Babul Saha, tied him and beat him up at the village market at about
11.00 hours and finally set their house on fire.
They also attacked properties of Hindu communities including shops and
looted their valuables, the witnesses said.
Fire engine rushed the village, but the attackers obstructed them from
dousing the fire, said the witnesses. The agitated people also
attacked houses of about 15 families, leaving over a hundred people
affected.
The hooliganism continued for about six hours while most of the police
were seen busy in protocol for visiting state minister for home
Affairs-Mr.Shamsul Hoque Tuku, also in the local lawmakers.
The attackers' clashed with the police and Rapid Action Battalion and
the clashes continued in phases till evening. The Police later rescued
Babul –father of victim but his son remained missing.
Babul Saha at Ataikula police station, however, claimed that his son
was innocent and did not write any content derogatory to Prophet
Mohammad.
Shamsul Hoque Tuku laid foundation stone at Dakhila Madrasha at
Ponduriya some ten kilometers off the affected area.
The attackers put blockade on the Dhaka-Pabna highway putting tree
log, suspending traffic till evening.
The State Minister however visited the affected area in the evening.
He could not be reached till 10.15 p.m. for comment. The witnesses
said several hundred families of Hindu community were passing their
time with anxiety.
The local administration in a announcement on public announcement
system urged the people to be calmed assuring them of investigation
into the matters.
The Deputy Commissioner of Pabna district Mr.Kazi Ashrafuddin said
that a probe committee headed by additional district magistrate Munshi
Mohammad Moiniruzzaman would be formed today to investigate the
violence. Rice and corrugated iron sheet were distributed amongst the
affected families, said Ashrafuddin.
Mr. Rezaul Karim – Officer in charge of Ataikula police station said
that two cases one for the rumors and another for the violence were
being filed.
Similar incident of violence took place on September 29, 12013 when
attackers ransacked, looted and burnt 12 Buddhist temples at Ramu in
Cox's Bazar. They had also looted belongings of 50 Hindu houses and
set 15 of them in Buddhist villages on fire.
The attacks were apparently triggered by a fake face book posting of
an anti-Islam photograph tagged to a fake account of a Buddhist youth
on the social networking site.
In this connection a sue-moto rule was issued by the Division Bench of
High Court Judges today on 3.11.2013 consisting Mr. Justice Quazi
Reza-Ul-Hoque and Mr. Justice ABM Aftaf Hosain directed the police to
arrest within 24 hours the culprits responsible for the attack on
Hindu houses,temples within Santhia Upazila of Pabna, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) decided to investigate the matter
locally and in the meantime a group of Human rights activists reaching
the spot for ascertaining the damages caused by the terrorists groups.
With best regards,
Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW)
12, K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully, Wari P.S.,Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Minority houses/Temples belonging to Hindus attacked, burnt and
vandalized over face book posting rumors at Santhia Upazila of Pabna
district on 2nd of November, 2013 ( Almost all news papers of
Bangladesh dated 3rd Nov,13) High Court orders arrest of perpetrators
, BDMW investigating the cases at the spot : ( The Daily Star, The New
Age, The Janakantha, The Protom Alo, The Ajkaler Khabar, Dainik Amader
Samoy, The Sangbad dated 3rd November, 2013)
At least 25 houses and four Temples of Hindus were attacked and 11
houses set on fire by a group of agitated Muslim men of Bongram
village of Santhia Upazila in Pabna on Saturday following rumors that
a Hindu boy posted something in face book maligning Prophet Muhammad
(SM)
Locals and police said that the attacks were carried out in the
morning following the rumour was spread by a group of people mostly
youths and continued for several hours.
The Superindedent of Police at Pabna Mr. Miraj Uddin ahmed, could not
confirm whether the posting existed on the social media website,
Facebook. He, however, told the reporters "We are investigating to
find any such posting on the boy's wall"
He claimed that the situation was now under control after day long
trouble as additional law enforcers were deployed in the affected
area.
Witnesses said that some people at the local market showed a computer
printout of the image of a Face book group that allegedly demeaned
Islam and the Prophet.
Being instigated, the local attacked at the house of Rajib Saha, a
class X student of Miapur High School, who allegedly wrote something
on his Face book wall.
As the attackers did not find Rajib Saha, they picked up his father
Babul Saha, tied him and beat him up at the village market at about
11.00 hours and finally set their house on fire.
They also attacked properties of Hindu communities including shops and
looted their valuables, the witnesses said.
Fire engine rushed the village, but the attackers obstructed them from
dousing the fire, said the witnesses. The agitated people also
attacked houses of about 15 families, leaving over a hundred people
affected.
The hooliganism continued for about six hours while most of the police
were seen busy in protocol for visiting state minister for home
Affairs-Mr.Shamsul Hoque Tuku, also in the local lawmakers.
The attackers' clashed with the police and Rapid Action Battalion and
the clashes continued in phases till evening. The Police later rescued
Babul –father of victim but his son remained missing.
Babul Saha at Ataikula police station, however, claimed that his son
was innocent and did not write any content derogatory to Prophet
Mohammad.
Shamsul Hoque Tuku laid foundation stone at Dakhila Madrasha at
Ponduriya some ten kilometers off the affected area.
The attackers put blockade on the Dhaka-Pabna highway putting tree
log, suspending traffic till evening.
The State Minister however visited the affected area in the evening.
He could not be reached till 10.15 p.m. for comment. The witnesses
said several hundred families of Hindu community were passing their
time with anxiety.
The local administration in a announcement on public announcement
system urged the people to be calmed assuring them of investigation
into the matters.
The Deputy Commissioner of Pabna district Mr.Kazi Ashrafuddin said
that a probe committee headed by additional district magistrate Munshi
Mohammad Moiniruzzaman would be formed today to investigate the
violence. Rice and corrugated iron sheet were distributed amongst the
affected families, said Ashrafuddin.
Mr. Rezaul Karim – Officer in charge of Ataikula police station said
that two cases one for the rumors and another for the violence were
being filed.
Similar incident of violence took place on September 29, 12013 when
attackers ransacked, looted and burnt 12 Buddhist temples at Ramu in
Cox's Bazar. They had also looted belongings of 50 Hindu houses and
set 15 of them in Buddhist villages on fire.
The attacks were apparently triggered by a fake face book posting of
an anti-Islam photograph tagged to a fake account of a Buddhist youth
on the social networking site.
In this connection a sue-moto rule was issued by the Division Bench of
High Court Judges today on 3.11.2013 consisting Mr. Justice Quazi
Reza-Ul-Hoque and Mr. Justice ABM Aftaf Hosain directed the police to
arrest within 24 hours the culprits responsible for the attack on
Hindu houses,temples within Santhia Upazila of Pabna, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) decided to investigate the matter
locally and in the meantime a group of Human rights activists reaching
the spot for ascertaining the damages caused by the terrorists groups.
With best regards,
Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW)
12, K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully, Wari P.S.,Dhaka, Bangladesh.
__._,_.___
