Well-orchestrated attacks on minorities to evict them from Mehandhiganj:
Torture and harassments are among other methods used


(Translated from Bhorer Kagaj dated 04/20/02)

Barishal (Staff Reporter): The local leader of ruling BNP and union chairman of Mehandhiganj subdistrict under Barishal has initiated a rain of terror to evict minorities form the subdistrict. The notorious brigand led by local chairman of Gobindpur has successfully created a rain of terror on minority community through the brutal method of torture, land grabbing, false accusations, rape of minority women and other sorts of harassments. As a result, the frightened minorities are departing from Mehandhiganj and in some cases the country itself.

According to police, eyewitness and local administration reports. The notorious brigand of Gobindpur union chairman is directly responsible for the ongoing terror in the area but police is yet to apprehend the mastermind. This brigand is targeting minority community in various different ways.
Last 11th April, 2002 a notorious terrorist of the brigand namely Shajahan submitted a false accusation against one Rabindranath Sarkar in the local police station. In the accusation, Shajahan claimed that Rabindranath Sarkar has confiscated the land of Shajahan. In fact the landowner is Rabindranath Sarkar himself. But police continued harassing Mr. Sarkar without any reason although Mr. Sarkar submitted the proof of his ownership by 12 April, 2002. In the conlusion, OC (Officer in Charge of the local Police Station) ordered Mr. Sarkar to pay TK 2000.00 to Shajahan without any reason. MR. Srkar obeyed and paid the amount in full to The OC. Latter, 15th April, 2002, the brigand demanded TK 5000.00 to Mr. Sarkar which he refused. The brigand than attacked him beaten up badly. The family member rescued Mr. Sarkar from the brigand by paying TK 2000.00 and complained to Police but the OC neither arrested the miscreants nor recorded the GD (General Diary) instead he was not cooperating with Mr. Sarkar's family. After this incident, Mr. Sarkar has left the place.
In another incident, a sexually perverted cadre of BNP sneaked into the house of one Nani Sharnakar while women of the family was in shower. The son of the household apprehended the guy and slapped him. The local brigand and BNP leaders turned around this incident as Hindus attacking Muslim and called for Shalish (misguided public ruling). In the Shalish, the brigand demanded a big amount as ransom.
According to reports, the rain of terrors continuing and minorities are departing various unions of Mehandhiganj.