Surviving Members of Laili Costa's Family

Laili Costa, a young Catholic woman, living in the Catholic parish of the Holy Rosary church under the Archdiocese of Dhaka, became destitute when her husband Joacem Costa was shot dead by unidentified thugs in the Sadhon Para area of Dhaka.

Laili Costa said, “My husband left me and my two daughters. What he earned hardly supported our family, and he did not leave any savings. The owner of our previous home had already kicked us out from there, and we had just found a second home. The owner there is going to kick us out within days. I will not be able to have Christmas with my children.”

She went on, “I am striving daily for my small children. My elder daughter was kicked out of school, since I cannot pay the tuition fees, and my younger daughter is suffering from serious malnutrition; she could die at any time.”

With extreme fear and tears in her eyes, Laili Costa said, “On July 14, 2009, around 9:35, I got a call from one of my neighbors that my husband was shot by thugs in the Sadhon Para area. I immediately called my husband’s younger brother, Leo Costa, and rushed to the place. As I reached the place, I did not find my husband. He had been taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.”She continued, “An eye witness said that a group of highly armed people came and shot a gun once, and my husband asked them, ‘Why you are doing this? Don’t kill me, I have a family and a wife and small kids.’ He begged, ‘For the sake of Jesus and my family, don’t kill me. What do you want?’ Then they shot three times.”

She said, “My husband fell down in the road and asked people for help, saying ‘Please take me to the hospital’ and ‘Call my family’, but no one came forward to help. I went to police, but as I cannot give a bribe, the local police officer Mohamed Moinul Islam, who is the investigation officer of the case, is not properly investigating the case.”

Leo Costa said, “I filed a case with local police. I am afraid the thugs who killed my brother may kill me also.”

Local police inspector Moinul Islam told Asia News that the killing was cloaked in mystery and police are still investigating the case.

The parish priest of Holy Rosary church said, “I heard about this sad incident, may his soul rest in peace. We have a parish with more than 20,000 Catholics who also have a lot of problems and needs. We are trying to help this Laili Costa with spiritual guidance, but we do not have the ability to help her and her kids financially.”

Catholic human rights activist Annie halder said that persecution against Catholics is growing, and that previously a family was gunned down in the Kafrul area of Dhaka.

A Catholic priest, Joseph Arsenault, the parochial vicar at St. Bridget’s Church in Abington in the Archdiocese of Boston, said about the case: “First of all, it is a shame that such a crime happened in the first place. To take a life is just wrong. Secondly, the fact that the wife, who I assume is an innocent person in all of this, becomes a victim twice. She loses her husband, and now she loses her home and means of support. As Christians, the community, I hope, is there to support her so she does not end up on the street. As Matthew’s gospel tell us, we are obliged to feed those who are in need and make sure the most vulnerable are taken care of. Justice would also demand that the killer of her husband should face the courts.”

Joseph Arsenault told, “I will be offering the Holy Sacrifice of Mass for her intentions and that of her family on Dec. 1st.”

Hindu Women Raped

The plight of the Hindu community of Bangladesh is disturbing. Regularly, one hears about attacks on Hindus and atrocities on women and children of Hindus. Temples and Hindu establishments also routinely face the brunt of extremists in Bangladesh. The role of the Bangladesh government has always been fishy. BNP or Awami League, it doesn’t really make much of a difference. The Hindu community of Bangladesh are apparently forced to live as second class citizens.

What is the reason for this? The rise of Islamic extremism has obviously led to the present scenario. But who are responsible for the rise of hardline islamics? The answer is—successive Bangladesh governments. They have forgotten the pillars on which the Bangla nation was formed. The ideology of those very extremists who supported Pakistan during the ’71 Liberation war is prospering. The secular, progressive credentials of Bangladesh have been long consigned to the dustbin of history. Politically, the situation is bound to worsen. Let Hindus not have any hope from the government.

Then what is the solution? Apparently, Hindus in Bangladesh face a problem; a problem of survival and life of safety, respect and dignity; and this problem needs a solution. The solution; or at least a step towards the solution; would be—Political empowerment.

The Hindus must aim to become a political force in the country. They must be united in quest of this goal. The community must vote for a consensus candidate and when Hindus are attacked or threatened, the community must hit the streets together. The Hindus must have no hesitation in becoming a “vote bank”. The Hindus must, as a primary goal, seek to make themselves relevant to the extent that they can influence 50-60 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. Then and only then will their voice be heard loud and clear. And in these attempts, the Hindus must bring with them the other minorities of Bangladesh.

The future of Hindus is in the hands of the Hindus. Let us ensure that we decide our fate, not others.

General Zia and his predecessors introduced persecution against the minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh became Islamized under the military regime, rather than being a true parliamentary democracy. Bangladesh was not born with the blessing of being united beyond ethnic and religious differences, but rather has been Islamized, yet with a secular policy.

Religious minority oppression is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. Every day, minority oppression is growing at an alarming rate. Yet our government is not doing its duty to safeguard the minority groups. Why aren’t they doing something to stop minority torture? We don’t know. But we have been seeing that most of the perpetrators are linked with the ruling party. People think that the present government may be turning a blind eye at minority issues. We want to say clearly that the people do not want to see the issue ignored, but rather, that they want to see peace and happiness.

Torture of minorities continues as we talk. When will it come to an end, and why doesn’t the government take action against the perpetrators of minority torture? In Bangladesh, every day, there have been cases of murder, attempted murder, torture, and other forms of inhumanity. Is Bangladesh a democratic and civilized country? How can we say that it’s a civilized and democratic country?

In Bangladesh, crimes against humanity have become widespread, especially against minorities. Almost every day, minority people leave for the neighbor country, India. Minority women are constantly afraid for their security. Peace, good governance, rule of law, and democracy are nonexistent in Bangladesh. Perpetrators get impunity from the state. As a result, there is a constant increase in all kinds of criminal activities in our dear Bangladesh. At the same time, sectarianism has increased rapidly. And our religious minorities are suffering.

Majority Muslims are occupying the minorities’ lands, torturing them, and raping their women. It is a common practice. Everything has been happening in front of the eyes of the government. The present ruling party is always telling us that they are nonsectarian. Yet, they are failing to stop minority oppression, and the torture of minorities is still happening in Bangladesh.

We see from the media that ruling party members are taking away land that belongs to minorities. The people of Bangladesh have not forgotten the oppression of minorities that took place after the general election of 2001. It is true that our minority peoples faced grievous trouble under the BNP/Jamaat-E-Islam alliance government that ruled from 2001 to 2006. During that regime, BNP/Jamaat party members were committing murder, rape, and vandalism against minorities.

Bangladesh was born as a nation after nine months of fighting for freedom. With independence, four main components were established for the nation, namely, democracy, nationalism, secularism, and socialism. With an almost good constitution, Bangladesh was beginning to make progress forward. However, the constitution did not recognize our indigenous communities. Even today, indigenous peoples are not recognized by the constitution. The present government has the support of the majority in Bangladesh; if they wanted to reestablish 1972 constitution, it would be no problem for them. But the government has been in power for ten months, and they still haven’t taken any steps in that direction.

Under the force of Islamization, the preamble of Bangladesh’s constitution has been amended to include the words “…pledging that the high ideals of absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah…”, and, in the process, the word “secularism” has been dropped. The constitution, in fact, begins with the words “Bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim”, which means “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,” which words come from Islam. In Bangladesh, the completion of Islamization is happening everywhere.

In this situation, we demand that the unconstitutional provision concerning a state religion in the Constitution of Bangladesh be repealed. All activities of discrimination, disparity, arrests, torture, detention, and oppression against religious minorities, as well as all people in general, shall have to be stopped. We don’t want a religious state; we want a secular and democratic state, based on Bengali nationalism in the light of the four fundamental principles of the state that motivated the Bangladesh Liberation War and that constituted the dream of the father of the nation, Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Jammat-E-Islam is a communal party in Bangladesh, which was involved with war criminalities. BNP also has been upholding their non-secular attitude, which has introduced ‘Bismilla’ to our secular constitution. BNP-Jammat torture and kill our minority, it’s a natural, because they are fundamentalists. Though, this government is well known as a minority friendly government, but instead, minority repression is going on unabated. It’s very unfortunate to secular peoples.

International religious freedom commission of US state department was published a report on human rights situation of Bangladesh, recently. They were given a big certificate to the present government of Bangladesh about the human rights. According to the report, the human rights situation is going on good place especially the minority oppression is decreasing. The state department of US, how they said the human rights situation has improving in Bangladesh? We don’t know, but real scenario is reversed.

In Bangladesh, practical situation of human rights has not well like the report of US state department. Almost every day, there are violating the human rights with various form. The minority community especially the Hindu and the Christian peoples are in panic. Different places of the country have been happening minority repression.

We can give some examples for minority repression in this present government regime. A school teacher Akhil Chandra Saha was killed by miscreants at Charghat in Rajshahi on 30th June. After this killing the minority peoples of 21 Hindu families of Miapur village has been panic. A sensational minority oppression incident was happened in this regime on August. Armed local criminals picked up Nitai Chandra Das, 70, his cousin Shambhu Das, 50, Shambhu’s wife Kajol Rani Das, 42, her son Sajal, 14, and daughter Swarna, 8, Shambhu’s brother Mohabir Das, 45, his wife Lakshmi Rani Das, 38, her daughters Beauty, 18, and Sweety, 12, from their houses and confined them to the workshop.

The criminals also looted belongings including gold ornaments from the victims’ houses. A poor Hindu young people Ashish Sarker, 25 was abducted and murdered by miscreants on 1st July at Mirzapur in Tangail. A Hindu businessman named Sumon Goala (25) was abducted and murdered at Pearpur –Jamalpur Sadar on 2nd part of June. A Hindu woman, Ms.Radha Rani Halder, 28 was gang raped recently in Shoriotpur. Perpetrators attacked four Hindu families, vandalized their deities while attackers tried to occupy cremation ground belonging to Hindus on 3rd July at Palash Upazila of Narsingdi District. 10 persons including women and children were seriously injured due to abrupt attack.

On 16th July some miscreants have stolen valuables and desecrated Kali Temple demolishing the deity at Raroa Kali Temple at Gopalpur within Sherpur Upazila of Bogra District of Bangladesh. A Hindu housewife Anguri Biswas, 23 was abducted forcefully and taken to other places for killing or for trafficking on 2nd July, 2009 at Rajoir in Madaripur district. A group of hoodlums with the leadership of Hafizur Rahman Hafiz andhis elder brother Azizur Rahman Aziz – Cultural Secretary of Juba League (Youth Organisation of Awami League) Nalitabari Upazila underSherpur district on August forcefully occupied seven decimals of lands belonging to a Hindu owner- Surjya Kanta Debnath. In this connection allegations received from the victim’s family that two shops were demolished and their daughter Ms.Lipi Debnath was physically assaulted during operation.

In same month twenty Minority families are on run because of continuous kidnapping of women/children and forceful collection of money at Sonagazi-Feni District. It is learnt that some perpetrators namely Jafar, Seraj, Younus, Saiful, Ripon, Sabuj, Selim, Nasir and more 20-22 miscreants were regularly collecting illegal money from 20 to 22 Hindu families. If they refuse to pay money to miscreants then repression and threat starts.

A gang of criminals attacked three Hindu families in the Dighalkandi Sahapara village of the Puthia subdistrict of Rajshahi on the night of August 31, injuring 12 people. Sources said, the hoodlums also looted five houses and shops during the attack, in an attempt to take land away from those families. The injured included Profulla Chandra Saha, his wife Bijli Rani Saha, his brother Bijoy Saha, Sukumar, Chand, and Nomita, who were admitted to Puthia Health Complex in critical condition.

Around 30 perpetrators, believed to be BNP-Jamaat cadres, attacked and damaged the houses of Vanpuller Bijoy, Sukumar, and Uttam. They also looted Sukumar’s grocery store and the stitching shop of Uttam’s wife, Nomita, during the attack. Local sources said that men from the neighboring village of Kacharipara beat up two youths – Nayan and Sujon – at Sahapara on Aug. 27, 2009. Following the incident, a total of 35 people from 10 Hindu families filed a general report with the local police station, expressing their anxiety.

A minority women picked up and gang-raped while she was asleep with her husband Sagor Das at Sathiya Upazilla at Pabna district on October. Ms.Purnima Rani –daughter of Dulal Roy of Chitra Para-Joypurhat town was missing having false promise of matrimonial function with Hindu boy. The Muslim perpetrator is a relative of a very powerful Juba League Leader of Joypurhat. Ms.Purnima Rani could not be recovered despite desperate arbitration with the powerful Awami League Leaders was held several times.

Sometimes, the police on duty also neglect to register any case against those perpetrators. Although case was registered after hectic endeavour, but the perpetrators start intimidating the victim’s family constantly. So, a sense of insecurity amongst the Hindu communities prevails. It also indicates a forceful conversion after allurement and false personification. Similarly Ms.Nabami Sarkar –daughter of Akhil Sarkar of village Aimar Rasulpur have been the victim of fraudulent events of such circumstances and Ms.Krishna Rani and Ms. Prativa Rani of Govindapur also become target of such trend.

A process of fraudulent conversion with intent to deceive minority girls is going on with Ms.Shika Debnath daughter of Ms.Mina Debnath of village Shaljune of the same Upazila. Police shows negative response on this particular minority issue if the case is filed at the respective police station. As discontentment prevailed amongst Hindu minorities then the police on 1st October most reluctantly detained Ms.Purnima Roy daughter of Dulal Roy with wearing Burkha under veil covered by her face and body.

Thereafter she was produced before court and the court sent her to judicial custody. A Muslim shrewd boy got a Hindu girl- Krisna Rani Protiva into a trap in the same village of Kusumba Union of Govindapur and later abducted her and absconding. The elder brother of the victim girl protested against this sort of trap and as a result the perpetrators on behalf of the Muslim boy assaulted the victim’s brother. In this connection although case was recorded but police kept them silent. Later on the local people recovered this unfortunate girl.

Sawpan Mondal, 40, a Hindu (Converted Christian) N.G.O. Employee was beaten to death at Soharwardy Uddayan (Ramna Kali Temple) by the some students of Dhaka University branded him to be an extortionist. On last 12th September a group of students of Dhaka University caught him and beaten him mercilessly. Day after morning Sawpan Mondal was died due to torture at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital during treatment. At least 25 Hindu families were evicted in this regime at Kalapara in Patuakhali.

According to the daily Star, Rajshahi Education Board Chairman Dipakendranath Das left the city on 30th August for Dhaka after filing general diaries with two police stations following threats on his life allegedly from the city Mayor A H M Khairuzzaman Liton. The Rajshahi mayor asked the board chairman repeatedly over the phone to upgrade his daughter’s SSC results, Dipakendranath alleged. Khairuzzaman also acknowledged that he had requested Dipakendranath to look into the result of his daughter but denied the allegation of threatening the board chairman.

In his identical GDs filed with Boalia and Rajpara police stations in Rajshahi the education board chairman alleged that he had been asked to leave Rajshahi forever over the phone since August 27. The callers also threatened him with death. He, however, refrained from mentioning names of any individual or party in his GDs. Earlier on August 27, the board chairman alleged that the city mayor threatened to transfer him if he did not entertain his request of upgrading his daughter’s SSC result. Anika Faria Zaman, the mayor’s daughter, secured GPA 4.56 in this year’s SSC examinations.

Dissatisfied with the result she along with 2300 other examinees appealed to the board for review of their results on June 22. As review results came out on August 9, some 23 examinees got their results changed but Anika’s results remained the same.The board chairman explained that Anika failed to get GPA 5 because she secured A minus in Bangla and obtained A in English, Mathematics and Chemistry. “There was no scope of reviewing her result as her review results had already been issued,” he said. Dipakendranath alleged that the mayor threatened him twice –on August 18 and 25 over the phone.

A gang led by Nur Hosssain Master of Soraigachhi attacked the houses of some 74 families including 54 indigenous families at Katirpur of Porsha upazila in Naogaon district on June 12. They torched, damaged and looted the houses and also randomly beat up indigenous men, women and children during the attack.

More than 50 people, including the member-secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, Professor Anu Muhammad, were injured when police charged into marchers heading for Petrobangla headquarters in the capital on 2nd September in protest against the government’s decision to award three offshore blocks to international oil companies.

One bereaved Hindu family is prevented from lodging FIR at Rangunia police station due to continuous threat from murderers. Police trying to suppress the facts of murder, as a result perpetrators get impunity. On 24th July some perpetrators kidnapped Jatindra Lal Dey, 65, of village Sahandi Nagar Hindu Para and strangulated him to half dead and fled away putting him Rangunia Upazila Hospital. Jatindra died on way to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Allegations received from a group of minority communities at village Barman Para within Durgapur Upazila of Netrokona district on August regarding continuous repression against them. In a separate note of signatures condemning the atrocities against them singed by some minority communities it is alleged that a group of perpetrators were continuously committing crime against humanity including physical torture, rape, kidnapping and land grabbing, they also claimed that despite the local administration including their local Member of Parliament were informed asking them to stop continuous atrocities; although the local Member Parliament requested the Officer-in-charge of respective police station to take necessary steps it is unfortunate that no remedial measures taken by police and as such a case has been filed by Bimal Chandra Barman at Durgapur police station.

A Minority School girl belonging to Dalit family at Jessore district was gang raped while she was returning from attending “Kirtan” religious songs on July. The perpetrators dragged victim nearby garden and rape her one after another. In Bhola silent repression upon religious minorities are going on.

More than 100 women and children belonging to Hindus located at
Lord Hardinge 35 miles away from Lalmohan police station reported in
writing that some land grabbers belonging to Muslims with ill motive
instituted false cases in the court against those destitute
law-abinding Hindus enabling them to leave the country.

Because the Chief Judicial Magistrate-Bhola made judicial enquiry on July through a local High school Head Master who is reported to be a activist of Awami
League and took negative view and submitted false report against the
Hindus resulting which those unfortunate Hindus have been arrested
without any tangible allegations.

Although no enquiry was made about the allegations made against those Hindus with regard to their involvement of theft and other false allegations. Maching Khai Marma, 18, was raped then killed with a brick on May 8 in CHT. Goutam Sarker, 33 was killed on 28th September in Dhaka. He was a resident of 47 Farasganj Lane; Sutrapur.He was also the president of Awami Sechasebok League of 79 ward of Dhaka. Goutam was shot dead.

A Catholic family of the Dhaka diocese, under the St. Lawrence Catholic Church, was attacked by local Muslims on October 22. Some people fired guns aimed at the house of the Catholic family. After that, a complaint was filed to the local police station as well as to the state department of US by the victim family with the help of a NGO.

On the other hand, extra judicial killings are a very common matter, still. Another two persons were killed in extra judicial killings in the name of so-called gunfight with police in Sundarban of Bagerhat on 31st October. The killed are Altaf Hossain, 42, and Mizanur Rahman, 35, both residents of Chandrakhali at Rampal in the district.

With these latest incident took to 118 the total death figure from extrajudicial killing such as ‘crossfire’ or ‘encounter’ by the Rapid Action Battalion and the police after January 6 when the Awami League-led government assumed office. Though, the law minister, Barrister Shafique Ahmed told in the same day in a training programme on human rights, there should be initiatives to investigate any kind of extrajudicial killing, as the present government does not believe in such killings.

On 25-26th February at Pilkhana BDR headquarters some of BDR members were revolt and during that time they were mass killings to the meritorious army, looting their money, gold and other wealth’s, mass raped to army officers wife, daughter. By so-called mutineers killed at least 75 peoples including 58 meritorious army officers.

It was a gross human rights violation after the brutal killings of the father of the nation Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh.
We want to see fair trial about the real and accused mutineer. We know that, 48 BDR members already died after torture during the detention. Whole nation are waiting for see the justice regarding BDR mutiny. We also want to see the enquiry report about BDR mutiny and killings.

So, a big difference between US state department report and real situation of human rights and minority in Bangladesh. We want to an equal society where there will not torture, all kinds of human rights violation.

Why is the repression of minorities and indigenous peoples still going on in Bangladesh? Bangladesh’s Awami League is now in power. They have always gotten the minority and indigenous votes, with some exceptions. And it has been 38 years since Bangladesh became independent. Enemy or vested property is a black law and it’s a gross tool for minority repression. Our demand is that, this black law should be removed immediately and the ceased property should be returned to real owners or their relatives.

The patriotic journalist Manik Saha was killed by a bomb attack in 2004. Another honest journalist, Diponker Chakraborty from Bogura, was killed by terrorists. From Faridpur, the promising journalist Goutam Das was killed. Principal Gopal Krishna Muhury was killed. All Bengali people know about the young minority girl named Purnima who was gang raped in Sirajgonj. And these were all preplanned incidents. No investigations have taken place and justice had never been served against killing of indigenous community leaders, including Alfred Soren and Choles Ritchil.

We know Bangladesh has no actual democracy, rule of law or education. Most of the people are living in very poor conditions. The obvious problem is that, constitutionally, Islam is the only religion of Bangladesh. But in Bangladesh, there live Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. We have had a secular constitution since our country’s independence. After the killings of Bongobondhu, two generals ruled Bangladesh and made it a monolithic Islamic country.

We want the legitimate demands of the aboriginal and tribal communities to be fulfilled, including the preservation of their distinct cultures and heritage, and the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Treaty. We want the return of vested property, with a provision of inheritance, to be implemented. We want the government to resist sectarianism, fundamentalism, and fanaticism and to put a stop to all kinds of religious discrimination, deprivation, atrocities, persecution, and harassment.

The attack on the religious minority brings with it the idea of “Islam in the constitution”. The communal spirit began with political motives and ended in mass destruction such as the attack on present Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back in 2001. The victims of the brutal attack are still looking for justice. At that time also, a bomb attack killed 10 and badly injured 20 others at the Baniarhar Catholic church in Maksudpur, in the Gopalganj district.

In 1998, an indigenous leader, Alfred Soren, was brutally killed by those in power. The day of the attack, the perpetrators looted his house, destroyed his belongings, and set the house on fire. Until now, his family members and the public have never seen the light of justice. Cholesh Richil, an indigenous Christian leader, died in custody on March 18, 2007, following brutal torture at the hands of the army. Richil’s civil rights were grossly violated by government agents. It is puzzling why the government has not yet made a proper investigation to unearth the mystery behind this leader’s death. The perpetrators of this crime should not have impunity. The killing of Richil has not been filed as a criminal case to date.

From 1979 to 1981, the indigenous people of Bangladesh became cornered by landless people from the mainland in the process of their rehabilitation by the government. An ill-fated ten-year-old indigenous child, Klanto Chiham, was killed by brutal teachers after being tortured at Maymansingh. A dacoit, or robber, killed a Christian school teacher, Mangsang, at Madhupur in Tangail. A member of an even smaller minority, Dr. Goni Gomes, a converted Christian from Islam, was killed by Islamic militants.

Latest inhuman incident on the three minority families were happened in Natore of Bangladesh. According to the daily Sangbad, the perpetrators were tried to kills by set fire to the houses of minorities at Tazpur village in Singra upazila of Natore on 1st November, 2009 at night. After this, Rash Bihari was immediately admitted in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He was seriously injured with burnt. The houses of Ratan Ghosh, Nripen Ghosh and Batbihari Ghosh were totally burnt. In the midnight the attackers locked to the doors of the minorities from the outside. Then, they were set fire to the houses by the petrol.

Sources said, some local influential’s trying to grab to 200 Bigha lands of ‘Debottor’ since long time. On 24th October of this year a group of terrorists lead by an UP member Hasib and Sazedur Rahman Khan were attacked to the minorities at Tazpur village. They were ransacked houses of 12 minority families and they looted money and other wealth. At least 23 peoples including women and child were seriously injured by that attacked. The attackers also raped a minority woman. In this connection a case was filed against the attackers. Total 33 were accused with this case. The case was filed by Sreebash Halder.

The accused were getting bail from the court on 1st November. After that in the same night they were attacked again on the minority families at Tazpur village of Singra.

Another case was filed by Nogendranath Ghosh with Singra police station against attackers. But, attackers yet not arrest. The minority peoples are fear after again and again attacked on them. This incident has been remembering us to the Bashkhali incidents of Chittagong which was happened in the regime of BNP-Jammat government.

We urge the enlightened citizens of Bangladesh to be united and to do something for minority rights and security. Please forget politics. As human rights defenders, we should be impartial, universal, and dedicated to human rights.

The constitution does not give proper identity to the indigenous peoples. This is Bangladesh! We demand that these persecutions stop right now and that the government give all rights to the minority groups and bring the perpetrators to justice. Without real democracy, rule of law, and good governance, how can anyone have hope that the government will punish the real culprits and masterminds of minority torture and other human rights violations? We are waiting eagerly for the trial of war criminals, for the implementation of the verdict of Bangabondhu killers, and are waiting for the justice to be served to the killers of the four national leaders. We also want to see the current government reestablish the constitution of 1972 and stop mixing politics with religion.

Lastly, we want to demand that the government immediately form a public inquiry committee to investigate all cases of minority oppression and human rights violations that have occurred since independence. Again, only investigate is not enough; we think that those involved with minority oppression and human rights violations should be brought under justice. Otherwise, it will never be possible to establish the rule of law. If the government wants to take these actions, then it should, first of all, reestablish 1972 constitution. Secondly, it should immediately bring to trial cases involving war crimes, jail murders, and the Bangabondhu murder case, and should punish the accused. It also needs to take strict action to stop Islamic militants. Otherwise, there will be no peace and happiness.

We hope that the present government will take immediate action against minority and indigenous persecution. And our demand is that all the perpetrators should be brought under justice. Now there is a ‘democratic’ government. So, what is the problem in stopping minority torture and extrajudicial killings? Let us be united and fight and pressure the present government to stop minority repression and state torture.

Although the police initially rejected to assist the Hindu family later they caved in due to media pressure. They arrested four people behind this attack. While asked the police commissioner he declined to comment on this issue.

Our human rights worker in Bangladesh, William Gomes was on the scene taking a series of footage of this developing story. We were able to get a word from the State Minister, police commissioner and the family.

State Minister of Bangladesh on Minority persecution

The Hindu minority in Bangladesh describing the forceful abduction story

Police commissioner Dhaka

In this gang, Tauhidul Islam Bhuiya (Sumon) is in murder charges and even though he is supposed to in trials, he remains free. When police came, they said: “It is not kidnapping. It is love affairs between kidnapper and victim” and to many this does not seem like a love affair. The police do not want to keep in the flow with this case and evne though they have looked upon the case in video, the physical harm done to the house, the cry from the girl’s uncle, and the request from the family to help them get Koli back.

This still stays the same, Richard Benkin said in his blog, that the victims are commonly the young girls, women, and sometimes bodys. The government official that was in the issue suggested that the govenment is supporting these types of kidnapping and harrasing, converting a human to take against their will. What the Muslims have to understand is that even though they might think that forcing someone to go against their own will might make their religion more powerful, well, that might now become the case. They have to userstand that if they do not show the good path, one day the ones that were Muslim due to their ancestors for a long time will quit Islam and say that it is a forceful religion. If this continues, then one day the religion that was built forcefully will be closed down with no power from the physical strength but the mental.

Richard Benkin’s Blog

From Chotto Mind’s Blog

On July 21st late night the dacoits brook the temples door and they have looted a historic Statue and things worth 1corer, said the priest Gobinda Thakur

The police are trying their best to find out the people behind this said local police

Local Hindu devotees shared the deep concern over the incident.

On this case the petitioner Adv.Rabindra Ghosh claimed that some unknown people have stole a video camera from ISCKON temple Swamibag . And the petitioner allegedly involved me on the incident; the fact is I am not aware of said camera at all. More than that the petitioner provoked the Sebait and Executor of Swamibag Ashram Shri Jasada Nandan Acharjee to witness against me that “He saw that I took the camera”. Mr. Acharjee has told the fact to Investigative officer SI Shariful. The IO is not pointing the statement in note.

I am shocked at this false case. I am felling really helpless. As you are human rights
defender I need your help, I have protested the false attempt to tie me with the case to the DC wari. The Dc Wari seems very helpful.

I am always committed to fight the Terrorism for my position with the allies of  in different countries and recently, I had sit with Mr. Ahmad Karim Nawabi, the Afghan ambassador to Bangladesh and share my concern about fighting the growing the

Islamic Terrorism and on regular basis I am sharing all the available information in fighting the Islamic terrorism in the south Asia to the international community. I have penned different articles in different international media in focusing the problem and possibilities in Bangladesh.

As PRP is on the way to transform police force to Police Service, I hope that you will take it note that the Investigative should take proper note that I am being harassed by the ill motive of Adv.Rabindra Ghosh. I myself protested on some case where the Advocate showed a normal eloped case to a forced conversion to Islam. The case was also submitted to UN.  Through my mail I had also request PRP to investigate on the aggressive attitude towards the police officials.

I also want to request to make it sure the police should make it sure, why Adv.Rabindra had provoked Shri Jasad Nandan Acharjee to witness against me strongly. The irresponsible attitude of police officer like SI Shariful is hampering my attention in fighting the growing Islamic terrorism.

As journalist and human rights activist I just went to find out the issues of forced conversion .But I am in problem for the irresponsible attitude of the police officer of Bangladesh police. I also request to the international community to write to the government to insure a   free and fare investigation.

Shiekh Hasina: PM of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a flourishing country with a large Muslim population. Recently, Bangladesh has been called different things, due to its growing Islamic extremism. Different governments have played a mixed role in fighting Islamic extremism. Presently, the Awami League government, which won the parliamentary elections with a large majority, has given the highest priority to fighting Islamic extremism.

Local and international media is covering the activities of the government against Islamic extremist groups. The government is trying to prove that Islamic extremism is going to be uprooted soon.

But the reality is very different. The Islamic extremists are growing and gathering more strength as the government initiates operations to uproot extremism. The reality is that the Islamic extremists are better equipped and strategically stronger than ever.

There are 786 high profile people in important positions of power that are closely linked with different Islamic extremist groups. Among these 786, there are 200 high-ranking government officials, including 76 individuals from the different intelligence agencies of the Bangladesh government, 20 powerful parliamentarians, and 7 high profile media personalities in different news media to fight the intellectual battle and propagate news and views in favor of the Islamic extremist groups.

The government failed to trace these 786 people and their national and international links. These 786 are working to create a scenario like what happened in Bangladesh in 1975, with the assassination of the “father of the nation” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. As Rahman was assassinated, so will Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina if the government fails to fight these 786. Through the masses, the liberation in 1971 came about, and through the assignation of Sheikh Hasina will we be able to triumph over the tragedy of 1975.

William Gomes is an independent human rights activist ,Freelance Journalist and a political analyst. He can be reached at cda.exe@gmail.com

Osama bin Laden may be laying low in Pakistan. But many of South Asia’s terrorists have a new hideout: Bangladesh.

In recent days, Bangladeshi police have been hot on the trail of disturbing developments: they’ve uncovered a plot that used Bangladesh to transit thousands of weapons to an Indian separatist group, and followed up by arresting key members of that group in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, reports The Times of India.

Around the same time, police arrested a fugitive hit man working for Daud Ibrahim, one of South Asia’s most notorious terrorists. While in custody, the assassin divulged that 150 of Mr. Ibrahim’s operatives are stationed in Bangladesh, according to The Daily Star, a leading English-language newspaper based in Dhaka.

Source: CSMonitor

A few days back, someone named “Allah Ke Bande” left a horrible comment against Hindus in general. I didn’t make a big deal out of this because I wanted people to realize the impact of Islamic Extremism that the world needs to encounter.

Allah Ke Bande, I made this video specifically for you. The background song is by Kailash Kher.

This is the time for us to reflect on the deaths and victims of Islamic extremism that people need to encounter on a daily basis. This is just one attack but for thousands of years, Hindus, Christians and Jews have to live with these types of radicalism from Islam. The funniest thing is that killing innocent people actually has been working for the Muslim extremists. The world population is not doing enough to end this extremism.

I said before and I am saying again. Certain aspects of Islam has problems and Muslims need to clarify those aspects. If Muslims don’t clarify the positions on Islam then more hatred will arise on the Muslims themselves.