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A minority community leader shot dead in Khulna, Bangladesh

Note: This report is submitted by HRCBM-Kulna, Bangladesh

 
Mr. Niranjan Das, a minority community leader and a transport businessman was brutally killed on the evening of June 4, 2004. A group of miscreants sprayed bullets on Niranjan around 8:30pm Friday evening of June 4, 2004.

The news was latter published in Daily Pubanchal dated 5th, june 2004.
Mr. Das was locally known as good businessman who owns transport & construction business farms. As a community leader Nirajan Das was regarded and well accepted in the locality.

Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Khulna): Locals turned out to the street under the banner of "Transport owners/laborers Association" to denounce the murder and demanded justice.

Picture (Courtesy HRCBM-Khulna): The assassinated Niranjan Das laid in rest before cremation.

Nianjan was the second child of his father late Bijoy Krishna Das of Shen Para under Daulatpur thana in Khulna city. On the the evening of June 4th Mr. Das was sitting in the office of "Gazi Filling" gas station. After a while, Mr. Das went out to the road for a little walk.
Suddenly a gang of 3 to 4 assassins attacked him and sprayed bullets on him and escaped.
Hearing the sound of gunfire, local people rushed to the spot where Niranjan was laying in the pool of blood. The locals then transported him to the Khulna Medical College Hospital where he was pronounced dead at around 9:30 pm in the evening.
According to Police and hospital staff, Mr. Niranjan was died on the spot yet to control the situation they have took him to the operation theater.
He is lived by three daughters namely Champa, Nupur and Chabi Rani Das. Nupur is fifteen years old, Chabi Rani Das is thirteen and the eldest daughter Champa (20) is married.

Picture (courtesy HRCBM-Khulna): Left: Family members of Mr. Niranjan Das are at loss. Right: Mrs. Shipra Rani Das broke into utter cry.

His wife is Shipra Rani Das told HRCBM-khulna chapter that Niranajan never told her about having enemy or conflict with any one.
Niranjan's nephew Dulal Das, 22 who is now the guardian of the family told  that his uncle had no known enemy. He added that in 1999 a robbery occured in their house. The robbers were people of his community who were accused in the case that was filed against them. The accused miscreants namely Zahir Bhuyan, Zahangir Bhuyan, Ripon Bhuyan, Kashem, Masum and Guddu were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by session court but latter released by upper courts. The gang has threatened Mr. Niranjan Das and his family with dire consequences several times yet police did not take any measure against them.

Mrs. Shipra Rani Das (victim's wife) filed a case with Daulatpur police station without mentioning anybody's name. In this context, Police has told our Khulna representative that they have arrested Jamal, son of Taher, Harun, son of Fazlur Rahaman, another Jamal and Abul Hossain for their suspected involvement in the murder. Police are still investigating whether  murder was for not paying extortion fees or for filing the robbery case.

HRCBM volunteers of Khulna chapter have asserted that this murder can be taken into consideration in the context of continuing oppression against minority community in the locality and throughout the country. Hundreds of minorities including influential community leaders have been slaughtered within last three years.

The minority community of Khulna has become panic stricken after this murder as Mr. Niranjan was considered an influential member of the community.