Attention: Mr. Asif Saleh,

Moderator, Dristipat

Sub: Reaction of Govt. Paper to our activities.

Dear Mr. Saleh,

I am just back from Bhola after visiting many remote affected places of district of Bhola including Annda prasad. Here is two news translated from daily Bangla "Dinkal", a leading pro BNP daily. One story is about conspiracy between human right activities here in Dhaka on Shariar Kabir and the 'Rationalist International', a India based international humanist and secular society. The second story is about our visit to Bhola although depicted in a corrupted form. But both show how the government machinery is watching our activities, unfortunately in both stories I figured . This put me in a very inconvenient situation to work. So we have to work cautiously and judiciously.

More will follow about AP and the proposal with in a day or two.

With love,

Ajoy Roy

Story of Dinkal:

Story I

Secret Conspiracy of Tofael Gong

"Imaginary stories of repression and violence against members of the minority communities of Bhola recorded on video."

Tofael Ahmed, a presidium member of Awami League, launched a deep conspiracy to defame the BNP government and to create terrorism in Bhola anew. It is learnt from a close and reliable source. After conducting anti BNP activities (in pre election days) with close cooperation of the district commissioner, additional district commissioner, and high police officers he has now engaged himself in anti BNP activities through different publicity media. It is learnt from a reliable source that imaginary and false stories of so called minority-repression has already been recorded on video at different places of Bhola.

According to a reliable source, recently a video team consisting of Dhaka based journalists led by Ajoy Kar Khokan, Central general Secretary of Chhatra League, recorded these stories. It is further learnt that the team left Bhola with the recorded materials yesterday. Apart from Khokan, the team had another Chhatra League leader Pankaj Debnath, one girl, and a journalist from Sangbad. The source informed that the AL workers of the locality Lalmohan, Lord Hardinge, Charpata, Borhamuddin, and Daulatkhan gathered these minority families in their houses and forcibly recorded theses videos. These conspiratory activities have generated a strong reaction in the minds of the common people of Bhola, which is known to be a place of communal harmony. Here in Bhola all the communities are living without any fear, carrying on their business and other activities normally. It may be recalled that Tofael Ahmed was defeated in all three seats of Bhola in last election. Now he is engaged in framing a blue print for defaming the new Government of BNP. The making of video on so called repression on minorities is a manifestation of such a design. The source also disclosed that officers of the district administration including DC, ADC, and ASP are still maintaining a close link with Tofael Ahmed and engaged in this conspiracy against BNP government.

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Story II

The caption on page 1 reads as follows:

The Delhi based organization Rationalist International in its Bulletin dated 27 has expressed its strong protest against the arrest of Shariar Kabir under special power act. The bulletin reported that Shariar Kabir went to India to collect information for making a documentary film on so called repression against Hindus of Bangladesh. The organization demanded immediate release of Shariar Kabir.

Professor Muntasir Mamun moved an identical proposal in the annual general meeting of the Bangla Academy yesterday. A strong reaction against the proposal generated among the common members of the Academy. Some members pointed out that there was no instance in the past that Bangla Academy had adopted any resolution on an issue that is under judicial consideration. Bangla Academy never did adopt any resolution against violence committed during the past government. So question of adopting a resolution in favour of an individual who is being tried on sedition charge does not arise. They urged upon Professor Anisuzzaman, President of Bangla Academy to dismiss the proposal. Seeing that atmosphere was not in his favour, Professor Mamun left the meeting and the premise. In the mean while a proposal condemning the activities of some groups in India against the sovereignty and independence of Bangladesh was disallowed by the president. Professor Anisuzzaman not being able to adopt the resolution demanding the release of Shariar and disallowing the proposal condemning the threat against Independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh exposed his own mentality.

It may be recalled that Rationalist International is holding a conference at New Delhi from 8-12 February in the next year. Many intellectuals have been invited from Bangladesh. Notable among them is Professor Ajoy Roy who, according to bulletins no 84 of that organization, and is likely to deliver an important speech at the conference on Human Rights in Bangladesh.

"We with deep concern we note that a well known group stationed in our neighbouring country engaged in the activities detrimental to the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. This group already has formed 10, 000strong-armed cadres for curving out a state called "Bangabhumi" out of a few districts now in Bangladesh. This meeting condemned such activities and urges the Government of India to declare this organization Bangabhumi illegal and terrorist. We also draw the attention of Government of Bangladesh to take up the issue with the Government of India. "

Proposed by Abdur Rahim