September 2003

I. September 2, 2003. Manurtek, Banarban district. An armed group of Islamic zealots looted properties which were valued at 100,000 Taka (approximately US $1700) owned by a family, who were members of the local tribal community.

II. September 3, 2003. Natore district (in western Bangladesh). Laxman Biswas, a fifth grade student, was killed by a gang of Islamic zealots. More than 1000 members of the local tribal community protested against the act in front of the District Magistrate’s office. The demand of the tribal community included swift punishment of those responsible for this heinous crime.

III. September 4, 2003. Charhabish village, Char fashion sub-districts. A group of Islamic extremists kidnapped the fifteen year old daughter of Sreedham Teli. Before this incident, Islamic fundamentalists kidnapped Sreedham Teli’s two elder daughters Ranjita (age 22), Jyotsna (age 19), who were then subsequently raped.

IV. September 6, 2003. Chardaulatkhan village, Kalkini sub-district, Madaripur district (directly south of the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka). Ravik Roy was attacked by a group of Islamic fundamentalists. The group looted Roy’s belongings, which were valued at 200,000 Taka (approximately US $3400). Besides Ravik, Ananda Roy and Jyotsna Roy were also injured during the assault.

V. September 6, 2003. Banagram market area, Saithya sub-district, Pabna district (in western Bangladesh). A group of Islamic extremists robbed Suranjan Bairagi, a local businessman, 80,000 Taka (approximately US $1400).

VI. September 6, 2003. Dahamaokhub village, Fakirhat sub-district, Bagerhat district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). Nanigopal Mondal (age 35) and Amya Bairagi (age 30), two villagers of the minority Hindu community, were brutally killed by a group of Islamic fundamentalists.

VII. September 10, 2003. Gaibandha district (in northern Bangladesh). A group of Islamic fundamentalists entered the main Hindu Kali temple in the town and proceeded to destroy nineteen statues of Hindu religious icons. The local police have arrested a Muhammed Zahidul (age 16). Among the destroyed statues there were sixteen of the Hindu Goddess Laxmi, two of Hindu Goddess Saraswati and one large statue of Devi Durga.

VIII. September 12, 2003. Gori village, Atghoria sub-district, Pabna district (in western Bangladesh). The home of Nikhil Kumar Saha was attacked by a group of Islamic fundamentalists. The zealots also stole goods valued in excess of 200,000 Taka (approximately $3400).

IX. September 12, 2003. Lohagorah bazaar, Norail district (in southwestern Bangladesh). Sukdeb Sikdar, a prominent business man, was killed by a group of Islamic extremists. His body was seen being thrown into the river.

X. September 15, 2003. Narsingdi district (due east of the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka). Swapan Bhuniya, a twenty year old student from the minority Hindu community, was shot to death in front of the Surabhi cinema hall by a group of Islamic fundamentalists.

XI. September 17, 2003. Jhenaidah district (in western Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Sudhir Mukherjee, a locally respected doctor, was brutally killed by a gang of Islamic fundamentalists at. He was also the president of the Jhenaidah Durga Puja committee. It is believed that his killing was meant as a message to the local Hindu community on the eve of the Durga Puja festivities, not to observe the festivities.

XII. September 24, 2003. Kishoregunge district (in northeastern Bangladesh). Pradip Kumar Saha Roy, a teacher at a local high school, was savagely beaten by a group of armed Islamic fundamentalists. He sustained very serious injuries in the attack and is now at the Kotiyadi sub-distrct hospital.

XIII. September 27, 2003. Jessore district (in southwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Anup Sarkar, a member of the local Hindu minority community, was arrested by the police without any reason. He was subsequently beaten in his jail cell in the Bagerpara prison. As a result, he suffered very serious injuries.

XIV. September 29, 2003. Bagerhat district (in southern Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal). Kajalrani, was a simple housewife who had come to visit her relatives. A gang of Islamic Fundamentalists attacked her relative’s home and raped her. Subsequently, she was killed and hanged by the thugs.