June 2001

I. June 1, 2001. Chithalia village, Nakla sub-district, Sherpur district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). The home of Upendra Nath Biswas, a minority Hindu resident of the village, was attacked by an armed group of Islamic fundamentalists led by Afsar Ali. They also savagely beat up members of the household, forcing them out of the house. They were threatened with death if they reported the matter to the local police. The family fled their home and reportedly escaped to neighboring India.

II. June 1, 2001. Palpara area, Rangpur town (in northern Bangladesh very close to the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal). During the night, an armed group of Islamic extremists destroyed the Lokenath Brahmachari Mandir (a Hindu temple in honor of the great Hindu saint Lokenath Baba). The group, estimated at 200 people, also looted the temple and beat up eight Hindu devotees.

III. June 6, 2001. Boalia, Shalkupa sub-district, Jhenidah district (in western Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Two prominent local Muslim reactionaries, Abdul Hai and Abdul Kashem, demanded a zizia tax (an extortion tax demanded by Islamic fundamentalists from non- Muslims) from two members of the minority Dalit Hindu community, Dulal and Santosh Lashkar, in the amount of 400,000 Taka (approximately US 6,700). When Dulal and Santosh were unable to pay, they were savagely beaten.

IV. June 9, 2001. Sadar area, Thakurgaon district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A member of the minority Hindu community and the headmaster at the Paltani Government Primary School, Birendra Nath Nurman (age 40) was stabbed to death by a group of Islamic fundamentalists.

V. June 10, 2001. Kamalhati area, Dinajpur district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A Hindu temple was demolished by members of the Upazila Nirbahi Committee (an extreme fundamentalist Islamic group).

VI. June 10, 2001. Kushwar area, Dupchachiya sub-district, Bogura district (in northern Bangladesh very close to the Indian state of West Bengal). Islamic fundamentalists poisoned two members of the local minority Hindu community, Dilip Chandra (age 30) and Babul Chandra (age 45). They later died as a result of the poisoning.

VII. June 12, 2001. Badarganj sub-district, Rangpur district (in northern Bangladesh very close to the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal). Tapati Roy, a member of the local minority Hindu community and a teacher at the Dolepara Primary School was almost abducted from the Bairagi Bazar area by Anisul Haque (age 28 ), a prominent local Muslim fundamentalist. When she cried for help, Anisul was caught and handed over to the local police.

VIII. June 23, 2001. Saudel Khalpar, Gournadi sub-district, Barisal district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A group of Islamic reactionaries looted and destroyed the shop of Ratan Majhi and Natu Majhi, both of members of the minority Dalit Hindu community.

IX. June 24, 2001. An armed gang of Islamic fanatics attacked the home of Akram Hossain, a member of the minority Kadiani Muslim community, and destroyed the boundary wall meant for the construction of a Kadiani mosque. They also savagely assaulted Akram for being a follower of Kadiani sect of Islam.

Undated Incident:

Netrakona district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). Shyamalendu Paul, a minority Hindu correspondent of the Netrakona edition of popular daily newspaper Ittefaq and the secretary of the Netrakona Press Club was threatened by Islamic reactionaries with death.