"Still there are quite significant numbers of Hindu families who want to stay on in their motherland. But we, who feel that after all Bangladesh is a Moslem State, moderate or conservative does not matter, and Bangladesh belongs to Islamic Ummah, are determined to clean minority population to nil. Sometimes in the name of Awami vote banks, sometimes in the name of grabbing properties, some times in the name of lust for beautiful women, repression continues on the weaker section of the population, the minorities- ethnic or religious. They are minorities because they don't follow the religion of Prophet Muhammad.

Bangladesh is a Muslim Country, nay we feel proud to call ourselves Moderate Muslim State- not a secular 'Peoples Republic of Bangladesh' and Islam is our State religion. Why should then backward non-moderate, non-Muslim aliens would live in Bangladesh? Sooner they leave the country better. Secularism ? - a bogus term, multi-religious society ?- a kaffir's idealism, Unity in diversity- a fool's dream, liberal democracy ? - oh no, it's a western concept- it does not suit with our aspiration, religion and tradition!

This is what the pattern is. Terrorize the minorities- because they are defenceless, spineless, easily susceptible to threat and extortion, then molest their daughters, sisters, even mothers, then evict them from their abodes and finally grab the property. In this case the priest family, it is learnt, has 12 bighas of landed properties being cultivated by the arrested Akkas Ali. If this is not result of communal hatred then what is communalism ?"

Attention mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com

cc:

Subject: Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande: Tale of a minor Hindu girl, daughter of a priest

Dear Mukto-monas,

Here is another story of en masse sexual violence committed by a group of beasts in human form. The story did not end there; the unfortunate victim family is on the flee from their home. We cry for justice, but the justice itself is crying !

Ajoy Roy

See the following story.

Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande :

A minor girl gang raped ? A case of minority repression or just lust for beauty wealth ?

Not far from the capital city Dhaka, Manikganj was once a subdivision of greater Dhaka, now a full district. Situated not far from the mighty river Jamuna, it is known for its natural beauty and cultural tradition. It once had a culturally and educationally developed Hindu population. This enlightened minority community once played a significant role in the social and cultural life of Manikganj and its surroundings, is on the verge of extinct.

The Ratha-Yatra i.e. Pulling of Chariot of Lord Krishna of Dhamrai in Manikganj was once a famous Hindu festival. Thousands and thousands of people from rest of Bengal used to come over here on the occasion of Janmastami (the birth day of Lord Krishna, the mythical hero of the Epic Mhabharata and great Purana- Harivamsa.). But today Dhamrai Rath is only a skeleton-remembrance of its historic past. Wealthy Hindus almost non-existent now. The Hindu population as in elsewhere in Bangladesh is withering away. Once Manikganj, particularly in Shivalay and other places handloom industry of the Baska community was know throughout Bangladesh. Now the community is almost non existent; where have gone the metal-smiths, the makers of fine utensils made of bell metals, bronze and other variety of alloys ?

Shivalay is an important Upazila in Manikganj inhabited by once a significant Hindu population. But gradually for reasons not unknown to us the Hindu population is rapidly dwindling. Still there are quite significant numbers of Hindu families who want to stay on in their motherland. But we, who feel that after all Bangladesh is a Moslem State, moderate or conservative does not matter, and Bangladesh belongs to Islamic Ummah, are determined to clean minority population to nil. Sometimes in the name of Awami vote banks, sometimes in the name of grabbing properties, some times in the name of lust for beautiful women, repression continues on the weaker section of the population, the minorities- ethnic or religious. They are minorities because they don?t follow the religion of Prophet Muhammad. Bangladesh is a Muslim Country, nay we feel proud to call ourselves Moderate Muslim State- not a secular ?Peoples Republic of Bangladesh? and Islam is our State religion. Why should then backward non-moderate, non-Muslim aliens would live in Bangladesh? Sooner they leave the country better. Secularism ? ? a bogus term, multi-religious society ?- a kaffir?s idealism, Unity in diversity- a fool?s dream, liberal democracy ? ? oh no, it?s a western concept- it does suit with our aspiration, religion and tradition !

So the event in Shivalay, where a minor minority girl, daughter of a priest family of the village Arura, was gang raped in presence of her parents and elder brothers by a group of known anti socials, did not create much sensation in our society. I am not surprised. Why should one be ? It is a routine pattern, too well known a social phenomenon.

What happened in Shivalay ?

The incident took place 28^th April. As usual a group of known terrorists, belonging to known political groups, assaulted the house of the priest at midnight. The gang consisted of Akkas Ali alias Aku Gazi, Lutfar Pramanik, Mannan, Sahadat Hosain alias Khadu Sai and others of the same village. In dacoity style, the miscreants forcibly entered the house and broken into the rooms. They tied the father with a rope to a nearby tree, and two brothers to another tree. A group member held back the mother outside the room on the verandah. As they cracked in, the gang demanded 50 thousands taka. The family is not that wealthy that on sudden demand they could supply such huge amount. That was just a plea ? an excuse to do what they did in the next moment ! As the male members expressed their inability ? the horror of torture fell in over the innocent girl. The beasts in human form raped the girl one by one ? how many were they 10, 15 ?. Yes she was raped en masse. Sounds too familiar ? Yes it is too familiar ! Remember Purnima, Remember Rita, Remember Rajufa .... oh don?t mention we know, yes we know.

The follow up story is also familiar and old. The repetition of village Salishi (Compromise) initiated by the village touts, the so-called leaders of the village society (an influential coterie, the members, local political leaders- most of them either fathers or god fathers of the gang, and of course the police). This is a deliberate policy of delay, so that signs of raping vanished before she would be ultimately exposed to medical examinations if the negotiations failed.

As it happened here also- the negotiation failed. The father then seeing no alternative filed a case with the Shibalay police station on 29^th April. Subsequently she was medically examined.

Once again the follow up story is same and identical. The accused threatened the victim family for withdrawing the case or to face severe consequences. The police however arrested two accused- Akkas Ali and Sahadat Hosain. But Shadat Hosain denied the charge that he was involved in the sexual violence as he was not there when the event took place. She was with a Chhatradal leader Rajab (the village proverb says chorer shakshi batpar) near Paturia Ghat and returned the village around midnight with Rajab.