Report from Janakantha, Oct 10, 2001: Post-election violence and oppression against minorities have displaced more than 15 thousand minority families in Barishal and Bagerhat districts. The affected upazilas (sub-districts) are Gournadi, Ujipur, Agailjara, Mullahat, and Chitalmari. Hindu minorities from these upazilas are being forced off their land and have taken shelter in various villages in Ramshil upazila under Khotalipara district. The displaced minorities have sought refuge in various schools and colleges in Ramshil bazaar and with relatives in those areas.

Islamic fundamentalists have initiated a reign of terror, forcing minorities to endure nightmarish living conditions in those regions. Janakantha correspondent Mr. Mojammel Haq, after visiting the affected areas today (Tuesday), described the situation as far graver than the atrocities of 1971. Families not displaced even in 1971 are now facing more severe conditions, being forcibly expelled from their native lands. The oppressed minorities reported that, due to their support for the Awami League in the election, BNP supporters rampaged through villages, setting houses ablaze and raping women in Chadshi, Bahadurpur, Barthi, Pingolkati, Ashukati, Tarki Bandar, Narchira, and Sharikal under Gournadi, as well as Rangtha, Bakal, Rajihar, Chingatia, Ramshidha, Dhanduba, and Jayrampatti under Agailjara upazila, and everywhere in Ujipur. With primitive laughter, Islamic fundamentalists raped hundreds of women, blinded victims, and looted all belongings of minority victims. Such primitive and barbaric atrocities defy description. Mr. Bimal Biswas, a local Awami League leader, described the medieval lawlessness and barbaric rampage occurring in the area.

He mentioned that Islamic fundamentalists gang-raped a mother and her daughters from a Hindu family in Uttachadni under Gournadi upazila in full public view. In another incident, three daughters of a minority family were forcibly taken from their home and publicly gang-raped by Islamic fundamentalists. He also reported in a news conference that BNP cadres kidnapped most of the women and girls from villages at night, raped them throughout the night, and released them in the morning. Janakantha has also reported that the Bangladesh government has neither taken steps to prevent these atrocities nor provided food and shelter to the thousands of victims. Without immediate provision of food and shelter, most of the displaced families risk starvation due to lack of food and water.