October 2001 - Part Two
With the election of the right wing Bangladesh National Party and the Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islamia to power in the September 2001 general elections, life has become worse for the members of the minority communities. Members of the minoriry communities, particularly the Hindu community, have faced the worst levels of violence in recent years, including unprecendented amounts of rape, murder, land-grabbing, etc. The pogroms have displaced hundreds of thousands of Hindus and other minorities, forcing many to flee Bangladesh for neighboring India. To see other incidents that took place in October 2001, please go to the following links: October 2001 (Part one and Part two).
October 12, 2001
Baishnobpara, Satbaria, Bagmara Sub-district, Rajshahi district (in northwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A local Hindu (Kali) temple was ransacked with the Hindu religious icons being desecrated by Muslim reactionaries.
October 13, 2001
Madia village, Bagura district. A 1971 Bangladesh freedom fighter commander and a member of the Hindu minority, named Gour Gopal Goswami (age 60) and his family were forcefully evicted from their home by local Islamic zealots who also looted Goswami’s belongings worth 300,000 Taka (approximately US $ 6,000).
Basudevpur village, Natore district (in western Bangladesh close to the Indian state of West Bengal). The local Hindu Basudev Temple was desecrated by Islamic reactionaries. The zealots wrote on the temple wall:‘‘Hindus run away to India, leave Bangladesh.’’ Each Hindu family has been forced to pay 10,000 Taka (approximately US $200) in the form of a zijyia tax (an extortion tax levied by fundamentalist Muslims on non-Muslims).
Rajaqar village, Barisal district (in southern Bangladesh bordering Bay of Bengal). All the women of a local Hindu minority family were gang raped by Muslim reactionaries and ordered to leave Bangladesh and to go to neighboring India.
Mirsarai subdivision, Chittagong district (in southeastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). Members of the newly elected Bangladesh National Party ransacked the homes of the minority Hindu community and displaced them from their homes.
Mayani, Wahedpur, Durgapur, Hinguli, Karerhat, Olinagar, Naherpur, Jorargunj, Katachara, Motbaria areas of Bangladesh. Activists from the newly elected Bangladesh National Party and the Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, locally known for their rabid hatred of non-Muslims, looted and set homes belonging to the local Hindu minority community on fire. They beat up the Hindus and asked them to flee to India.
October 14, 2001
Bishnupur village, Pabna district (in western Bangladesh close to the Indian state of West Bengal). The local Hindu Nishipara Temple was ransacked and the Hindu religious icon of the Goddess Kali was destroyed by Muslim reactionaries.
Ishwargunj area. Members of the newly elected Bangladesh National Party attacked and destroyed the Hindu religious icons of Radha-Krishna along with nine other Hindu religious icons at the Dhandi Radha Govinda temple.
Chatkhil Narayanpur village. Armed activists from the newly elected Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat forcefully kidnapped Dr. Sudhanshu Kumar Nath.
October 18, 2001
Charpata union, Bhola district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A medicine shop owned by Sanjib Kumar, a member of the local Hindu minority community, was set on fire and gutted by activists of the newly elected BNP.
Karfa village, Barisal district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A businessman from the minority Hindu community, Anil Mondal (age 50) was hacked to death by a group fanatical Muslims for his refusal to leave Bangladesh due to his refusal to convert to the religion of Islam.
West Gujra village, Chittagong district (in southeastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). Muslim reactionaries entered the home of Sadhana Ghosh, a member of the minority Hindu community, and set the house on fire.
Bhola district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A lecturer of physics of Tajumaddin college, Pratap Chandra Das, was dragged out of the college campus and severely beaten up by Muslim fundamentalists.
October 19, 2001
Panchuria village, Natore district (in western Bangladesh close to the Indian state of West Bengal). The wife of Stephen Marandi, a member of the Christian tribal community, was raped by Muslim extremists.
Gopalgunj district (southwest of the Capital city of Dhaka). Baren Rai (age 25), a member of the Hindu minority community, was severely beaten up by a prominent local Islamic fundamentalist named Kamrul (age 35). He was later admitted to the Mollahat health center in critical condition.
Village of Panchuria, Bagaripara police station, Natore district (in western Bangladesh close to the Indian state of West Bengal). Jitendra Nath Saha of West Maghnagar village was asked to pay a ransom of 400,000 Taka (approximately US $7,000) in the form of a zijyia tax (an extortion tax levied by fundamentalist Muslims on non-Muslims). He was savagely beaten up by Muslim reactionaries, after reporting the blackmail threat to the local police.
October 20, 2001
Atardag village, Bebkuthi subdivision, Sirajgunj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). A group of armed Muslim fanatics and attacked and looted the home Bulbul Talukdar.
Shyamkur village, Manirampur Subdistrict. Armed Muslim fundamentalists looted 17 homes belonging to members of the Rishi tribal community. Several women have been reportedly been raped.
October 21, 2001
Rajbari town (west of the capital city of Dhaka). Swapan Saha, Parimal Saha, Sukumar Saha, all members of the Hindu minority community, were beaten up and their shops looted by local Muslim reactionaries.
Bansia village, Barisal district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). Bela Rani Das, a Hindu woman, was axed to pieces by Islamic fundamentalists. They ransacked her home and looted her belongings.
Kander Aragram, Bagmara subdivision, Rajshahi district (in northwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A group of fundamentalist Muslims attacked and severely injured Sujit Pramanik (age 42), a member of the local Hindu minority community.
Aduliagram in Chitalmari subdivision, Bagerhat district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A group of armed Muslim fanatics ransacked and looted the home of Prafulla Kumar Mondol and Kalipada Mondol, both members of the minority Hindu community.
Astagram village, Akhra Bazar area, Kishoreganj district (northeast of the capital city of Dhaka). Dr. Subhas Das was physically assaulted by Muslim reactionaries.
October 22, 2001
Kanaimari village, Khulna District (in southwestern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal close to the Indian state of West Bengal). A prominent Muslim fundamentalist, Bahadur Miyan slashed the wrists of Krishnapada Adhikari (age 45).
October 23, 2001
Sonakhuli village, Sayedpur Sub-district, Nilfamari district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). The local Hindu Vishnu temple was set on fire and completely gutted by Islamic reactionaries. Local police refused to register a criminal case against those responsible.
October 24, 2001
Monati village, Gouripur Sub-district, Netrakona district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). The local Hindu Kali temple was destroyed by a local rightwing Muslim fundamentalist group and four Hindu religious icons were desecrated.
Thakurgaon district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Over 1,000 members of the minority Hindu community gathered in front of the District Magistrate’s office and staged a hunger strike. Protest meetings were held against the continued atrocities on Hindus throughout Bangladesh. Eminent speaker and the president of Bangladesh Communist Party, Professor Saiyad Merajul Hossain spoke passionately on the issue. Other prominent civic leaders also spoke in the meeting.
October 25, 2001
North Sonamully village, Saidpur subdivision, Botalgari union. A group of armed Muslim fanatics set fire to the local Hindu temple, completely destroying it.
Kalia subdivision, Narail district (southwest of the capital city of Dhaka, close to the Indian state of West Bengal). An ex-ward-commissioner, Kamal Ankhi (age 55), was severely injured when he was attacked by a group of Muslim reactionaries.
Krishnapur village, Rajshahi district (in northwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Islamic fundamentalists attacked and destroyed the local Hindu temple, ultimately breaking and destroying the Sitala murthi (a Hindu religious icon).
October 26, 2001
Bidirpur village, Lalpur police station, Natore district (in western Bangladesh close to the Indian state of West Bengal). Binay Bhowmick, Joydev Bhowmick and Kamalapati Majumdar, the three Hindu settlers, had to pay a Jizyia tax (an extortion tax levied by fundamentalist Muslims on non-Muslims) to local Muslim fundamentalists for their own safety and security.
Jhaluka village, Tanor Sub-district Rajshahi district (in northwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Kabiraj Dasrath Chandra’s house was attacked by Muslim fundamentalists, leaving him severely injured.
October 27, 2001
Brahmandi area, Narasinghdi district (northeast of the capital city of Dhaka). A group of Muslim fanatics destroyed a Hindu religious icon of the Goddess Sitala kept in the local Hindu Kali temple.
Bhringaraj village, Gazipur district Muslim fanatics (proximately northeast of the capital city of Dhaka). Led by Mujibar Rahaman, forty to fifty armed Muslim reactionaries raided 30 Hindu homes.
Jessore district (in southwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A group of Islamic fundamentalists led by Maulana Shakhoyat attacked Hindu homes, injuring 50 Hindus. Two of those injured included Kalidas and Manab Chandra, who are currently in critical condition.
The villages of Kankadia, Beerpasha, and Chatrakanda, Bauphal sub-district. Activists of the newly elected Bangladesh National Party issued a "fatwa" (Islamic degree) to the Hindu minorities of the area to leave for India within 15 days.
Madhavpur, Dinajpur district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Muslim reactionaries attacked the home of Manglu Shah, a member of the minority Hindu community. They also assaulted Kumudini Rai, a member of the Woman Union Parishad of Shikarpur. Many other innocent minority Hindu women were tortured by Muslim reactionaries.
October 28, 2001
Gouripur Police Station, Mymensingh district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). Suman Chandra Das, residing at Station Road, was severely injured when he was beaten up by a group of Muslim fundamentalists.
Mirjapur Subdistrict, Tangail district (proximately northeast of the capital city of Dhaka). Zijyia Tax (an extortion tax levied by Muslim fundamentalists on non-Muslims), amounting to several hundreds of thousands of Taka was demanded from Kamal Chandra Sarkar (age 30), a resident of Bansai Road, Mirjapur Market. When he refused to pay the extortion tax, Sarkar was badly beaten up and left injured by local right wing Muslim reactionaries.
Rajnagar and Sayedpur areas, Sirajdikhan Sub-district, Munshiganj district (proximately southeast of the capital city of Dhaka). Twenty-five homes belonging to minority Hindu fishermen were attacked by Muslim reactionaries. In Gajaria Sub-district, located in the same district, other communities of different religious faiths were asked to leave Bangladesh, in separate fatwas (Decrees imposed by Islamic clergy).
October 29, 2001
Sadar Subdistrict, Barisal district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). A mob of Muslim reactionaries attacked members of the minority Hindu community.
Galoa village, Kaliatkor Sub-district, Dhaka district (capital district of Bangladesh). A 19 year old girl was abducted at gunpoint by a group of Islamic reactionaries and was later raped.
October 30, 2001
Sreekol village, Sripur Sub-district, Magura district (west of the capital city of Bangladesh). A ransom of 200,000 Taka (approximately US $ 4,000) has been demanded by Muslim fundamentalists in order to secure the release of Amal Sikdar, a member of the local Hindu minority community.