Ms.Rupali Rani (25) Hindu Woman gang-raped at Chandipur-Austagram Upazila of Kishoreganj District :

Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) received an appeal from the husband of the Hindu woman requesting us for giving them legal assistance regarding gang rape of one Hindu woman residing at village -Chandipur within Austagram Upazila of Kishoregonnj Distrct.

A fact of the case is that the perpetrators all Muslims are land grabbers and the victim is a destitute worker for irrigation project of land holders. While Ms.Rupali Rani was returning back after her daily works at her home she was intercepted by below noted perpetrators. Md. Idu Meah and Md. Alamgir forcefully tear off wearing clothes of Ms.Rupali and Md.Soharab Meah started to rape her brutally one after another and they also shouted “rape and rape with pleasure”  Ms.Rupali cried loudly and some witnesses appeared and rescued her. Ms. Rupali tried to take medical treatment at Austagram Sadar Hospital but she was also intercepted by other co-accused and did not allow her to take medical treatment.

BDMW immediately communicated with the Superintendent of Police, Kishoregonj yesterday and requested him for taking necessary steps for arresting the perpetrators responsible for the crime against humanity.  Police neglected to register the case on the date of occurrence, later it was recorded after 10 days of its incident of rape. The victim and her husband are now under tremendous pressure from the perpetrators for withdraw the case.  No perpetrators have yet been arrested till writing of this report.

1. Name of the victim: Ms. Rupali Rani Das (25)

2. Name of the Husband: Gurupada Das (30)

3. Permanent resident of the victim: Village: Chandipur, P.s. Austagram, District-Kishoreganj.

4. Date of event: 05.01.2011 at about 05.00 hours.

5. Religion of the victim :  Hindu

6. Names of the perpetrators: 1) Mohammad Paresh Meah (35) son of late Ekujoma

                                            2) Md. Badal Meah (30) son of Menu Meah

                                            3) Mohammad Soharab Meah (32) son of late Sabud Ali

                                            4) Mohammad Idu Meah (30) son of Alta Meah

                                            5) Mohammad Alamgir (26) son of Annu Meah

                                            6) Mohammad Dulal Meah (38) son of Nabu Meah

                                            7) Md. Annowar Meah (40) son of Khurshid Bhuiya

                                            8) Md.Tariqul Meah (28) son of late Azam Ali  : All of village : Palapara, P.S. Austagram,Kishoreganj.

Witness of the event: 1) Ms. Rupali Rani Das ( raped victim )

                                2) Mr. Gurup pada Das husband of victim

                                3) Ms. Putul Rani Das wife of Berendra Das

                                4) Mr. Ratan Chandra Das son of late Surjya Kanta Das

                                5) Mr.Gouri Kanta Das son of Sumanta Das

Place of event: Bilbally Howar, near the land hole of Kamal Meah

Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) is going to investigated the matter at the spot on 22nd of January, 2011.

Copy of FIR is attached herewith:

Ratan Saha (28) a minority Hindu abducted on 20.12.2010 from his house at Siddirgonj. Police could not recover the victim : Police also neglected to register case on the date of occurrence:

Mr. Jatindra Saha – a Hindu business man staying at 41/1 Panir Kal Sarak –Siddirganj P.S., Narayanganj filed an appeal to BDMW and GHRD praying for recovery of his abducted son Ratan Chandra Saha (28) along with an amount of money Taka 7,75,000.00.

The allegation made by Mr. Jatindra Saha discloses that there was an agreement between Jatindra Saha and abductor – Mohammad Mustafa to hire his Dyeing institution to Jatindra for an amount of Taka 7,00,000/-. Jatindra paid initial amount of Taka 3, 00,000/- to Mohammad Mustafa on 03.11.2010 as per agreement and took receipt thereof. But Mustafa sent his employee- Md. Jasim at the house of Jatindra on 20.12.2010 at about 4.00 p.m.for procuring further amount of Taka 4, 00,000/- with a request to accompany his son Ratan Saha.

Jatindra sent his son Ratan Saha (28) to deposit the remaining amount of Taka 4, 00,000/- and Ratan Saha confirmed his father over phone that remaining Taka 4,00,000/- have already  been deposited on 20.12.2010, but Md. Mustafa did not confirm about the previous amount deposited earlier to him on 03.11.2010. And there was a quarrel between Ratan and Musstafa and thereafter cell telephone of Ratan became switched off and there is no trace of Ratan Saha since 20.12.2010.

Jatindra Saha with grief went to lodge first information report (FIR) at Siddirganj police station on 22.12.2010 but the officer in charge of Siddirgonnj P.S. refused to take any case of Jatindra as question of jurisdiction to file the case came up for determination. The officer in charge of Siddirgonj police station sent Jatindra to file case within the jurisdiction of Demra police station, but the officer in charge of Demra police station also refused to take case as the jurisdiction to file the case was within Siddirgonj Police station as the place of occurrence was within Siddirgonj. Because the O.C refused to entertain case Jatindra sent a copy of FIR to Officer in charge –Siddirgonj police station by registered post on 03.01.2010 but the O.C. refused to acknowledge taking cognizance of the case.

As per appeal filed by Jatindra Saha I along with Ms.Jhumur Gangully went to Siddirgonj police station to ascertain the jurisdiction where the case to be filed, we talked with O.C. Siddirgonj P.S., we also visited the place of occurrence where from the victim went to deposit money to Md. Mustafa. Most of the Muslim inhabitants confirmed us that due to police negligence the victim have not yet been recovered. We requested Mr. S.M. Ruhul Alam, O.C. Siddirganj to take case as the jurisdiction was not within Demra police station it is absolutely within the jurisdiction of Siddirganj Police station. I have also immediately communicated with the Mr.Khandakar –Inspector General of Police, Dhaka who directed S.P. Narayanganj to take cognizance as per law.

Accordingly a case No.10 dated 10.1.2011 under section 406/420/365 of Bangladesh penal code has been recorded at Siddirgonj police station.

But it is unfortunate that police did neither recover the victim; rather intimidating the father and mother of the victim not to cry for the abducted son in the Police station.

Mr.S.M. Ruhul Alam, O.C. was also intimidating the Human rights activist not to proceed with the investigation as per his opinion HR activist has got no power to investigate the matter over his cell telephone number: 01713373348.

BDMW is concerned about the abduction of Ratan Saha (28) who was abducted by Md.Mustafa, with the collusion of Md. Momen, Md. Jasim and his employee Shankar Dutta on 20.12.2010 for money. The members of his family apprehend that their son has either been killed or abducted for ransom.

Through :

Adv.Rabindra Ghosh

Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) and

Observer-Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD)

3/2 Purana Paltan, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Police physically assaulted and harassed Human Rights Defender - Advocate Rabindra Ghosh and his collegues at Dinajpur district:

Human Rights Defender physically assaulted and harassed by two Additional Superintendent of Police, (Crime) and O.C. Fulbari P.S.,Dinajpur in Bangladesh on 19^th and 20^th of December, 2010.

I, Advocate Rabindra Ghosh along with Mr. Ganesh Rajbangshi and Mr.Apurba Roy of Global Human Rights Defence and Bangladesh Minority Watch went to investigate an abduction case of a minority girl – Ms. Nipa Banarjee (17) and also for an investigation of attack on Adibashi women and children, churches, houses at Fulbari Upazila of Dinajpur District on 19^th of December. We went to Fulbari police station at about 3.30 p.m. and wanted to know why the kidnappers in connection with Fulbari P.S. case No.05 dated 06.12.2010 was not arrested and why the victim was not recovered and why counter case against innocent Adibashi was started without any valid reason. Our video cameraman Mr.Ganesh Rajbangshi was trying to film the proceeding of our discussion between me and the Mr. Showkat Ali -officer in charge of Fulbari police station. Mr.Mohammad Showkat Ali became more furious and jumped over Mr.Ganesh Rajbangshi and tried to snatch away our video camera. Mr. Mohammad Showkat Ali called some police constables and dragged us to go out from the police station in presence of the Mr.Shymol Banarjee – elder brother of Ms.Nipa Banarjee.

Thereafter I informed the matter to Mr. Phani Bhusan Chowdhury- Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Bangladesh over his telephone number: 01714295748 and also informed this matter to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Rajshahi Range for our protection. But unfortunately no action has been taken against the officer in charge of Fulbari police station.

Thereafter we went to the office of Mr Md..Jamaluddin Ahmed –Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur district on the next day dated 10.12.2010 who assured us for our protection and he requested us to file a complain at the office of Superintendent of Police, Dinajpur.

Accordingly we went to the office of Mr.Siddique Tanzilur Rahaman, S.P. who did not allow us to meet with him initially despite waiting for half an hour out the office, but Mr.Mohammad Shafiqul Islam – Additional Superintendent of Police and Mr.Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman – Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) called us in a room and started to rebuke in a filthy languages because of taking pictures of our discussion. The video camera was at that time in the hands of Mr. Shymol Banarjee who was trying to take picture then Mr. Mohammad Shafiqul Islam with angry mood pushed Mr.Shymol and snatched away the camera and I protested this ugly harassment and requested him not to repeat this in future and to return the camera. But in the meantime Mr.Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman started to rebuke me with ugly mood saying “ I know you since long, you a terrorist and black-mailing police department and rendering us in a great difficulties, you should restrain from doing such black mailing ; otherwise you will be thrown out in the ocean, now  get out from our room” I became helpless and asked our accompanying human rights activist to note down the names of the perpetrators.

During our detention period in a room of Mr.Mohammad Shafiqul Islam half an hour we have been harassed and physically assaulted by Mr. Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and Mr. Mohmmad Mustafizur Rahman. I immediately again contacted with Mr.Phani Bhusan Chowdhury now posted as Additional Secretary to the Home Ministry over his telephone (  and appraised the situation. He also requested us to contact with the DIG of police, Rajshahi Range for taking necessary action.

When we were about to be coming out from the room of Mohammad Shafiqul Islam then a police constable came and requested us to enter into the room of Mr.Siddique Tanzilur Rahman-Superintendent of Police, Dinajpur and accordingly we entered into the room and made a complain against those two delinquent responsible police officers responsible for physical assault and harassment made on 19^th and 20^th of December, 10.  Mr. Siddique Tanzilur Rahman tried to pacify us and took some photographs in presence of other human rights defenders and tried to make out a case against us to suppress the material facts. Practically he tried to suppress the incident of harassment by two police officers in his adjacent office room.

I had already spoken with Dr.Mizanur Rahman- Chairman of National Human Rights Commission over his cell number (Cell No.01916700848) who patiently heard the incident and requested me to lodge allegations against the delinquent police officers.

Mr.Biswanath Singh-Chairman of Bangladesh Adibashi Samitee, Mr. Dui Tudu, Mr. Jagna Maddy, Mr. Apurba Roy and Shymol Banarjee witnessed the incident of harassment and attack on date of occurrence on 20.12.2010.

Mr.Biswnath Singh- Chairman of Adibashi Samity in Bangladesh filed a separate written allegation/appeal against the delinquent Additional Superintendents of police namely Md. Shafiqul Islam and Md. Mustafizur Rahaman and Mohammad Showkat Ali addressed to Chairman GHRD Headquarters is attached herewith.

We have also made a press release at Dinajpur Press Club expressing our deep concern over this unfortunate incident of attack on human rights defenders. ( Copy of press release attached)

It is disheartening to note that previously also the police authority tried many times intimidating me and our human rights activists to abandon our humanitarian jobs for the minorities in this country. This repeated attack on human rights defenders might be continued if those machineries are not restrained from doing such mischievous activities on life and prestige of human rights defenders.

Please send Urgent Action:

URGENT APPEAL : Woman tortured by Police at Madaripur Police Superintendent in Bangladesh:

Hindu temple vandalized by ruling party men in Bangladesh

A group of ruling party activists of Dhaka University wing vandalized several deities at Ramna Kali Mandir [Temple of goddess Kali in Dhaka] following confrontation between activists of the same party on question of collecting extortion from the locality.

Right after the incident, police arrested Animesh, Govinda and Prakash, who are members of Bangladesh Chhatra League [student from of the ruling party] from the spot while they were continuing such notoriety.

Police sources told reporters that the clash had erupted over ownership and extortion into shops located in the area.

According to eye witnesses, during afternoon of Saturday [October 30, 2010], at least 45-50 activists of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League [BAL]'s student front, led by Utpal Saha, armed with machetes, iron rods, cricket stumps and hockey sticks went on the rampage and vandalized at least two deities inside the temple and ransacked the rooms of the priest.

It may be mentioned here that, since Bangladesh Awami League came in power in January 2009, members of its student wing are seen active in violence in almost all the university campuses in the country. Bangladesh Chhatra League is openly involving in extortion, terrorism, grabbing land and properties and various forms of illegal activities and the government has virtually become captive in their hands.

Source: http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1063/hindu-temple-vandalized-by-ruling-party-men-in