July 2003

I. July 1, 2003. Kaligunge sub-division, Jinaidaha district (bordering the Indian state of West Bengal): Mr. Bhakta Kumar Das was kidnapped by a group of Islamic fundamentalists because he refused to pay Zizia-tax (extortion money primarily demanded by Islamic fundamentalists from non-Muslims) in the mount of 300,000 Taka ($5100).

II. July 2, 2003. Manurtek area, Banarban district (in the Chittagong hill tracts): An armed group of Islamic extremists pillaged properties that were valued 100,000 Taka (approximately $1700) from a local tribal family that was living on the property.

III. July 3, 2003. Jaldhaka sub-district, Nilfamary district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal): a member of extremist Islamic Students Federation kidnapped a schoolgirl, belonging to the minority Hindu community. However, the local people caught the kidnapper and handed him over to police. A case has been filed against the kidnapper.

IV. July 5, 2003: An armed group of Islamic Fundamentalists demanded Zizia tax (extortion money primarily demanded by Islamic fundamentalists from non-Muslims) from sixteen shops owned by local businessman, belonging to the minority Buddhist community. The leader of this group is Faruq Ahmed Choudhury, a prominent Islamic fundamentalist of the area. The Buddhist businessmen received death threats if they were not able to pay the extortion money.

V. July 5, 2003. Nowgaon district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Bangladesh): The police have recovered a priceless Hindu religious icon made of stone from the home of Asraf Ali. It had been reported that the icon was of stolen from the local Hindu temple for smuggling to foreign countries.

VI. July 6, 2003. Durgapur sub-district, Netrokona district. Muhammed Manick Mian, a known local Islamic fundamentalist, attempted to rape forty year old Shilpi Rishi.

VII. July 6, 2003. Daulatpur town, Khulna District (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal): Mr. Parimal Dutta of was shot dead by a local group of Islamic extremists.

VIII. July 7, 2003. Satkhira district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal): A local group of Islamic zealots destroyed the homes of Mr. Mrinal Kanti Mondal, Kalipada Mondal, Chandra Mondal and Santosh Kumar Mondal at midnight. They also looted their material wealth, which was valued at 500,000 Taka (approximately $8500).

IX. July 7, 2003. Satkhira district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal): A well-known leader of the minority Hindu community Mr. Biswajit Sadhu was arrested and charged by the police on false charges.

X. July 7, 2003, Dhaka: Islamic zealots entered the temple of Nataranjan Acharya and demolished of the Hindu religious icons inside the temple. According to the police report that was filed, the zealots entered the temple by demolishing a wall of the temple. Ali Haider, the officer-in-charge of Akhaura police station visited the area. The confidence of the minority Hindu community in the area has been badly shaken by the incident.

XI. July 7, 2003. Mukta-gacha area, Mymensingh district (bordering the Indian state of Assam): A group of eight to ten armed Islamic zealots attacked Mr. Satya Swapan Chakraborty. A few days back, Chakraborty receive threats from the Islamic fundamentalists to leave Bangladesh.

XII. July 7, 2003. Narsinghdi district (relatively close to the capital city of Dhaka): Mr. Dipak Dutta, a leader of the local minority Hindu community, received threats from Islamic fundamentalists to leave Bangladesh or be killed. Dutta received the threats at the Methikanda rail station area during afternoon. A protest was filed at the police station in the Raipura area. Dutta had been leading protests against the civil rights violations of the minority Hindu community committed by local Islamic fundamentalists. As a result of Dutta’s actions, a group of seven or eight Islamic fundamentalists attempted to shoot him, while he was returning home after attending a meeting, in broad day light. When the people in that area came to rescue Dutta, the members of the gang fled.

XIII. July 12, 2003. Lohagorah bazaar, Norail district (southwest of the capital city of Dhaka): Sukdeb Sikdar, a minority Hindu businessman, was killed by a local Islamic fundamentalists. The group then dumped his body into a local river.

XIV. July 13, 2003. Gopalpur village, Magura district (west of the capital city of Dhaka): Sujit Kumar Kundu of was attacked by a group of Islamic fundamentalists and sustained serious injuries during the attack.

XV. July, 23, 2003. Mayerdak’s local correspondent reported that a group of Islamic fundamentalists broke into the homes of Loknath Biswas, Panchanan Biswas, Samir Biswas and Rabin Biswas in the Nayanpur village. In addition, the gang also stole many valuables, estimated to be worth 200,000 Taka (approximately $3400) from the homes they had attacked. The gang also beat up ten members of the minority Hindu community for trying to stop them.

XVI. July 27, 2003. Jessore district (bordering the Indian state of West Bengal): Anup Sarkar, a member of the local minority Hindu community, was randomly arrested by the local authorities on no charges and subsequently was brutally tortured in the jail in the Bagerpara area. Sarkar sustained serious injuries as a result of his false imprisonment.

XVII. July 29, 2003. Bagerhat district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal): Kajalrani was a housewife who came to visit her relatives in the Bagerhat. A group of local Islamic fundamentalists attacked her relative's home and raped her. After that, the gang killed her and subsequently lynched (hanged) her.