Alarming Rise Of Rape Incidents
A
compilation from news reports and Dhaka based reports
Reports from June-May,2003
Attention drishtipat@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande:
Dear Dristipat members,
Again minority girls persecuted all of a single family within mere 8 months. Our police as usual inactive and ineffective. This is a story of a downtrodden family residing in a remote village in Bhola district. I would just go mad posting such horrifying stories of victimized girls at the hands of a few social evils. Is there no way out I cry in agony- Oh God save us !
Ajoy Roy
See the following story.
Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande:
Bhola on the news again: Is it a case of minority persecution ?
-Ajoy Roy
Three girls in one family sexually persecuted
It seems Bhola would never cease to be news in national dailies. Last time
I visited Lord Hardinge union under Lalmohan police station some time in May,
2002 a school boy of Fatemabad village in a whispering voice narrated a story
of a school going girl of class IX. A very known notorious spoilt young man
of the locality physically attacked the girl in a lonely village path. As
she was passing through a lonely area covered with bushes and long trees on
both sides of the path, the notorious boy was waiting for her. Taking advantage
of the loneliness of the spot, she attacked her physically- her umbrella was
thrown away, piece of cloth covering her head and upper body (Orna) snatched
away and forcibly dragged to a nearby small temple covered with jungles. She
cried in fear and as good luck favoured her, some passers by on hearing her
crying rescued her. The young man took to his heels. The boy told me that
young man was very known in the locality for his notorious activities. He
was involved in many cases with his associates including some rape cases in
October 2001 repressions against minorities of those localities, but neither
the police nor the social leaders of the locality took effective actions against
them. Leniency always encourages crimes to flourish. On that occasion I talked
to some locals including inmates of the house of the girl, though the girl
and her parents were away. I was informed that a village salishi (arbitration)
was summoned with the initiative of the schoolteachers at the school campus-
the culprit was found guilty. Ten canings and some fine were prescribed as
punishment. But alas the punishment was never carried out even when I revisited
the village in March, 2003 about a year later.
But I have not taken up my pen again to describe an old story. I am getting
tired to expose these stories of almost identical nature, and surely coming
from Bhola. But my good journalist friend, Mr. Mobaswer Ullah Choudhury from
Bhola visited me a week before and narrated a horrifying and unbelieving story
of three minority girls of a same family. My journalist friend requested me
to put the news to internet readers for international circle. I pointed out
to him that this would be an offence as in the eye of Begum Khaleda and her
government this constitutes an ‘export information-terrorism’! My friend repeated
his request with a simpleton-smile (hope my friend would pardon me for the
use of the term). A few days later the news found the columns of a prominent
Dhaka daily. So I found a footing to post the news to internet.
What happened really ?
The story revolves around a poor family of a so-called low caste Hindu known
as Kulu or Teli. The head of the family is a middle aged simple gentleman,
Sridham Teli. Sridham a year before had a happy family with two daughters,
elder one being happily married to a relatively well to do family. Recently,
his younger daughter was forcibly picked up by a middle-aged man named Nasu
Munshi (45), quite well known in the locality for his notorious activities.
The Teli family also knows the man. The profession of Nasu Munshi is village
tautism
The village Charharish is as usual located in a remote place within inaccessible
Charkalmi union about 30 km southwest from Upazila town Charfashon in the
coastal district Bhola. Charkamli is located on the western coast of Bhola
not far from the bank river Tetulia. Sridhams are two brothers, elder one
is Balaram Teli. They live in a locality of the village known as Telipara
where there are other Teli-families too. The traditional profession of this
particular caste-people is to press mustards to extract mustard oils using
indigenous pressing machines run by bulls. Then they sell oils to nearby market
for their livelihood. Bus as of other cast-bound professions (e.go. blacksmiths,
metalsmiths, potters etc... ) this profession also became out of vogue because
of introduction of modern technology. Two brothers now make their livelihood
by selling variety of snacks fried in mustard oil (telehaja) from one market
to anther in the village including one, Baturhat that lies very near to their
houses.
The Vile
Just adjacent to village market Baturhat flows a canal. Infamous Nasu lives
just on the other side of the canal with his large family with two wives and
eleven sons & daughters. On 4th June, 2003 early in the morning Sridham’s
younger daughter Kunjalata went to a pond-ghat near to her house for washing
of faces. As it seemed now, in a preplanned raid 4-5 miscreants led by Nasu
himself forcible kidnapped her to his own house. During operation a team of
miscreants cordoned off the houses of Teli brothers. After a few hours she
was walked down to another place through Majherchar clad in yashmak (borkha)
obviously for ill motive to satisfy their sex-lust.
The bewildered and mortified father went to Charfashon police station to register
complain. But the OC refused to take any FIR. The father returned home more
frustrated. After two days i.e. on 6th June, one SI named Shajahan came apparently
for investigation to the locality. But he did not went to the village Charharish,
lace of occurrence nor he interrogated the accused Nasu Munshi, rather he
completed his investigation talking to persons assembled in a tea shop of
Naluabazar of Charkalmi. What a dutiful officer in deed. Perhaps in defence
of the officer, our higher police administration would come out with a statement
that the salary and facilities an SI gets one should not expect better service
than that. This reminds me a story, of course very much oft-quoted: once a
student asked his private tutor the English equivalent of Bengali “Chunkam”
to which the teacher replied “lime work.” When the guardian pointed out the
mistake to the tutor, he replied one can do ‘lime work’ with the tuition fees
given, with this meager pay ‘whitewash’ is not possible. The police officer
left the place completing his inquiry and asked panic-stricken poor Shridham
to see him next day at the police station with money, of course ! But where
would Kunjalat’s poor dad get money that would fill big black hole like mouth
of the dutiful officer.
The inmates of Nasu’s families including his sons and wives knew of his vileness & wickedness. They admitted the truth of the incidence. The planning was made in the previous night with his two close accomplices Kasem and Ghani and executed with perfection in the following morning.
Her two sisters faced the same fate
Oh no this is not the end of the story. Kunjlata’s elder sister, Ranjita was happily married to a young man at village Bisarat under Bauphal police station in Patuakhali. In the last January, about 5 months back she came to visit her parents’ home with her husband. As ill luck would have been, Nasu and his notorious associates picked her forcibly from the bedside of her husband at dead night. Can one imagine such hair-raising event could take place in a civilized country we call Bangladesh. Do you have any language to condemn it ? Don’t you think we have no government, no police, no DCs’, no SPs and above all no army generals? Fortunately, yes fortunately- compared to Kunjalata, Ranjita was discovered from place Ilisha in Bhola molested and disgraced. Her parents were glad to find her back. But she lost her place permanently in her in laws’ home as her husband abandoned her out of social indignation. The brave husband failed to save her wife, and I don’t blame him for that, but did not hesitate to leave his most pure wife for fear of social isolation. But the culprits survive and flourish unabated.
Is it the end ? No, Sir story is not yet over. Four months before Ranjita’s sad episode, the same Nasu and his notorious gangsters kidnapped cousin sister of Ranjita-Kunjalata, Jyotsna (19), daughter of Balaram Teli, elder brother of Shridham. After being gang raped for two days she was returned to her parents. Her husband too abandoned her. Both these girls are now with their parents.
Epilogue
Could you believe ! Within 8 months three girls from same Shridham-Balaram family were kidnapped and rapped en masse. No cases taken by the police. Culprits are roaming about in the very nose of our administration, police and civil. What a shame ! Where is our home minister ? Why is he not resigning with all his police bahini. What for they exist – if they can’t protect innocent girls like Jyotsna, Ranjita and Kunjalata from the clutches of the evils. Historiographer including great Ibne Khalidun said that history repeats itself after a time cycle. But poor Shridham-Balaram Teli family didn’t know it would come to their family so rapidly repeating itself with a period of just less than 3 months. Neither Balaram nor Shridham ever heard the word ‘history’, but they learned a basic law of Historiography in a hard way. Thanks to our social evils and our inaction of our administration for teaching a god lesson of methodology of history.
No, even after over a week unfortunate girl Kunjalata was not yet recovered, nor police is trying with earnest to trace her out. Would you blame police. Would you call the trilogy a case of minority repression or by pass it as acts of a few derailed lunatics. Would you call it lust for grabbing property ? But where is the property – both brothers feed themselves hand to mouth ? For political revenge ?, oh no, two brothers don’t know the meaning of politics. If it is not communal frenzy then what is communalism !
Is Tagore wrong when he uttered long long back
“Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande.... “
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 00:20:01 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: 10-year-old girl raped in Barisal
To: "asif saleh" <asifs@drishtipat.org>
Our Correspondent, Barisal (DS)
A 10-year-old girl was raped on the campus of Amrita Lal Dey College at Jhautala
of Barisal town on Sunday night, police said.
The girl had been all alone in the house when she was picked up by two youths from the neighbourhood who tricked her into believing that her mother wanted her to go with them.
The two youths then took her to the nearby college campus and raped her before
fleeing the spot. The girl was later rescued by local people and taken to
the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
The victim's father filed a case with Kotwali police accusing two youths,
Sohel and Rubel, of raping his daughter.
None was arrested till filing of this report last night
Reports from June:
Daily Star, 3 May, 2003
Our Correspondent, Barisal
A 14-year old schoolgirl of Uttar Patarchar village in Muladi upazila under
Barisal district was gangraped in front of her parents in the early hours
of yesterday, police said.
Police quoting family members of the victim said Shihabuddin, 20, of the neighbouring village along with five other men broke into the house and raped the girl right in front of her family members who were held hostage at gunpoint.
The rapists left after more than an hour, leaving the girl unconscious. She
was sent to Barisal town for treatment of her injuries.
Hossain Seraj, Magura
Alleged killer rapists of college girl Zzahida of Boroichara village in Sreepur
upazila move at large while her parents are being threatened with eviction
if they do not withdraw the case.
Police could not arrest any of the killers even in one year after the incident though the district administration selected the case as a 'sensitive' one and transferred it to DB (Detective Branch) police.
The victim's parents came to The Daily Star correspondent with the photo of their daughter and complained of police inaction and treats by the rapists, allegedly protected by an influential quarter.
At one stage they broke into tears and asked, "Are terrorists more powerful
than government and law?"
Zahida Khatun, daughter of Raihan Zoarder, a poor farmer, appeared at the HSC examination last year from Dariapur College. She secured first division in HSC from Humanities Group as she got also in SSC.
But ill-fated Zahida could not know her HSC result as she was gangraped and
strangled by some local miscreants on July 5, 2002, few days after the examination.
Family sources said, Zahida was caught by the miscreants in daylight and dragged
to a jute field while she was returning home from her friend's house.
A case was lodged with Sreepur thana.
One of the alleged killers Mamun--, son of Mobarak Molla, was handed over
to police by his elder brother.
The local administration at a meeting on law and order on August 27 last year
put the case on the list 'sensitive' cases.
After about six months, the charge-sheet of the case was submitted to court.
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2003 23:43:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: 60-yr old woman raped in Jessore
From Staff Correspondent, Khulna
A 60-year old woman, Fatema Begum, was allegedly gangraped and killed on Monday
night at Bagdanga village in Jessore sadar thana.
Police said there were evidences of rape and murder by strangulation. Police recovered the body from a bush near her house.
According to police, the women had been missing since Monday evening while
she was returning home from one of her relative's house.
Nazma Begum, daughter of the victim, alleged that the crime was committed
by five young men--Hazrat Ali, Altaf, Rahim, Iman Ali and Alauddin of Bagdanga
and Dogachia villages.
Police said Hazrat Ali of Bagdanga wanted to marry Nazma, 30, six years back.
But her mother Fatema turned down the proposal.
Police further said Monirul, the only son of the slain woman, was murdered
by Hazrat Ali in 1999 for opposing the marriage proposal. The members of the
family did not file any case fearing further reprisal.
However, a case has been recorded by the Jessore Kotwali police in connection
for the murder of Fatema.
Class II girl raped, killed
Daily Star, May 20th
Staff Correspondent, Khulna
Khuku Moni, a student of class two at Narayanpur Government Primary School
of
Batiaghata upazilla, was raped and stabbed to death on Saturday.
Police recovered her body from a paddy field.
According to police, the girl is an adopted daughter of grocer Khalilur Rahman
of Hadirabad village under Batiaghata upazilla.
The incident occurred while she was returning home from her father's shop.
Two alleged rapists killed her as she could recognise them, sources said.
Khalilur Rahman lodged an FIR with Batiaghata Police Station accusing two
young boys of the crime. The body was handed over to the victim's father after
autopsy at Khulna Medical College Hospital morgue on Saturday night.
Schoolgirl raped, killed in Kushtia
D aily Star, May 18th
Our Correspondent, Kushtia
Miscreants raped a schoolgirl and then killed her at
village Gobindagunia of Mirpur upazila on Thursday
night.
Police said a gang of six led by one Imrul of the
village stormed into the house of one Mehbub at about
11 pm and abducted her daughter Runa Afroz, 14, a
student of class eight of Mirpur Girls' High School,
at gunpoint and took her to a field nearby.
The gang raped Runa by turn and then slaughtered her.
Police recovered the body yesterday morning and sent
it to Kushtia General Hospital for autopsy.
Victim's father filed a case with Mirpur police
yesterday accusing Imrul and five others.
None of the gang was arrested till yesterday evening.
Rapists rap victim into confinement
Daily Star
Daily Star, May 12
Our Correspondent, Rajshahi
In yet another incident, brazen bullying rapists of a
Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinee remain
untouched while the victim has been forced into
confinement at home for the past two weeks in
Niamatpur upazila of Naogaon.
An Islami Chhatra Shibir worker and a nephew of a BNP
leader allegedly kidnapped the examinee in the
afternoon of April 23 as she was returning home from
her examination centre in Tanore upazila.
They took her to an isolated area of Kondobpur at
Kolma union of Tanore upazila and raped her. Later the
victim took shelter at a house in the locality and
filed a case with the Tanore Police Station in the
same evening.
However, around midnight, the residence of the officer
in charge (OC) of Tanore thana was ransacked and he
was threatened for recording the case.
The next day OC Nurul Amin complained to his seniors
in Rajshahi that Tanore pourasabha Chairman Emran Ali
Mollah, upazila BNP Joint Secretary Jamal Uddin,
Saranjai upazila parishad Chairman Mofiz Uddin, the
pourasabha BNP President Omar Faruk and worker
Moniruddin had all allegedly attacked his residence.
The victim was handed over to her family on April 24
after medical examinations at Rajshahi Medical College
Hospital. Since then she has been kept confined in a
room away from the villagers' unfavourable comments.
"It will be a sin to look at your face. Why did you
have to go to school?" the victim's mother was heard
scolding when a group of journalists went there.
A section of villagers led by Abdul Jalil and Atar Ali
allegedly offered the victim's family Tk 60,000 to
withdraw the case. They threatened to further
humiliate the victim if they did otherwise.
OC Nurul Amin denied allegation that the rapists were
moving freely. "They are in hiding and we are trying
hard to nab them," Amin told The Daily Star.
He said police would seek the court's permission to
attach property of the accused and that charge sheet
of the case would be presented shortly.
Abduction: a fovourite game of anti socials
Young girls are prone to various repression: sexual violence, acid throwing, physical torture by their husbands etc... Here is case of abduction of a minor girl of age reading in class x. The event took place at Shivarampur Upazila town on 4th April, 2003 in the after noon.
A girl of 14 years old named Rezina Akhter, a student of class X on her way back from the school Shivarampur R D Academy under Fardidpur Sadar Upazila was abducted forcibly near Shibrampur Bus stand by a group 8-10 miscreants at the face of weapons. The main culprit was a local terrorist leader Swapan Khan. The incident took place on Sunday, 4th April. A case was filed in Faridpur Kotwali police station by her parents. As a result the police became active and dramatically recovered the girl from the terrorists on Monday midnight (6th April). When she was brought to Kotwali police station the abductors openly pressurized the victim to declare before the court that she had willfully went with Swapan and now she wants to go with him. As she refused to do so, she was medically examined on Tuesday, 6th April and in the afternoon she gave a statement (jabanbandi) of her story of abduction in presence of a first class magistrate. The court returned the girl to her parents. This infuriated the miscreants. Since then the family is under constant threat and tremendous pressure to withdraw the case. None of the culprits have been arrested so far and they are found to move around openly. These culprits are pressurizing the family to give marriage the girl with the principal accused Swapan Khan. In the mean while in Tagore’s language ‘Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande... ‘(And justice weeping silently and furtively... )
(Source : The daily JanaKantha: 07. 05. 03 )
From Daily Star
Minority A Real Concern
Salma Ali
Oppression of the weaker by the dominant and powerful sections of
society has existed ever since human society began. The burden of
exploitation disproportionately falls on the disadvantaged groups of
society. In fact, most justice systems have an in-built bias towards
serving the needs and interests of the richest and most powerful
members of societies. They have little access to the poorest and more
disadvantaged communities and inspire little confidence or sense of
security.
Although the constitution of Bangladesh declares equal rights for all
people, some are denied their rights because they belong to minority
groups. Oppression of the religious minorities in Bangladesh has
existed since the birth of the nation. In most cases it originates
from village politics, of vested groups who take advantage of the
deteriorated law and order situation and exploit the religious
minorities, occupying their wealth and land.
Minority communities often feel helpless seeing the reluctance and
disinterest of police administration. The victims often complain that
they do not receive any help even when they go to the local police
station or investigation cell where they are threatened by violence.
They explained that the police demand large amounts of bribes for
sending a policeman or IO (Investigating Officer) to the scene of the
crime, or for receiving complaints or even to submit a general diary.
Although there was no governmental patronisation in these cases, the
government failed to make appropriate intervention to improve the
situation. In most cases the government remains calm and quiet until
a major incident occurs. The government sometimes avoids the
incident, terming it as "discrete" or "isolated."
Thus the question remains: When will the dreadful fear of the
minorities be put to rest?
The prime target of these vested groups is the Hindu community. On
one hand they buy assets from minority families at a nominal price;
on the other hand they threaten the minority's security by
influencing local miscreants. The vicious groups always conspire to
force them to hand over their assets under the threat of humiliation.
If one heir of the asset is trapped, it turns out to be a bigger trap
for the entire family. The new owner of the assets start harassing
the other heirs to gain possession without really having any real
power, therefore being completely helpless. In addition to this
the "forged deed"makes the situation more complicated. Sometimes
the
litigious village politicians put the landmark number in the
government's list of abandoned land claiming that the landowner has
left for India. Later the same group occupies the land in the form of
leasing the "Khas Land" from the government and enjoys the ownership
unopposed.
Whatever may be the reason, either abuse of power or inter-party
conflict, in most cases the women members of the society have to face
the hardship. As they comprise the weaker section of the society,
they still have to bear inhuman torture of various forms. The
situation gets even worse when the woman comes from a minority group.
The recent incident in Bagerhat provides a very good example of that.
Another incident took place before we could recover from the news of
Chabi Rani's ordeal of brutal torture and agony. On the night of
March 8th, 2003, a heinous incident of torture took place in the
Thakur family of Komarpur village under Sadar thana of Bagerhat
district. The miscreants stayed for two hours at the place of the
incident, killed one member of the family, raped three women and
injured several others. They also looted assets of approximately Tk.
100,000. The police claim that they are conducting the investigation
of the incident.
The news of violence against religious minorities, especially women,
is being published quite often in the daily newspapers. Bangladesh
National Women Lawyer's Association (BNLWA) conducts in depth,
investigations after getting information about such incidents through
newspapers, local-level legal aid clinics, partner organisations,
journalists and other sources. Sometimes, simple incidents are blown
out of proportion, causing unnecessary pain. The organisation came
across several cases where Hindu girls left their houses, eloping
with Muslim boys. Later it has been found that a case is lodged
against the boy of kidnapping or rape, etc. under a Penal Code or
filed under the Prevention of the Repression Women and Children 2000
as oppression of minority women. In some cases it has been observed
that the delayed investigation report on the part of the government
also complicates the issue. For example, a writ petition was lodged
on violence against minorities in the High Court during the October
2001 Parliamentary Elections. The High Court ordered the government
to submit an investigation report based on that petition. The
government submitted the report eight months after the High Court
ruling, where the report termed the incidents as "incidents of
personal affairs" instead of "conflict among communities."
The report
led to a lot of debate at both national and international levels.
Through our legal aid services we found that in Bangladesh, minority
girls are oppressed, not only by men of other religions, but also by
men from their own religious groups. BNWLA conducted surveys and
research in this regard, namely, An Action Study on Proposed Reform
of Hindu Family Law (published 1997) and later on made a documentary
film named Kannya Tomar Thikana Ki in the year 2001. In our research
we found that Hindu male members of the family do not agree to bring
reform in the age-old law. For example, the Hindu women do not have
the right to file divorce against their husbands in our country. The
government also remains reluctant about bringing reform in the age-
old Hindu Law as the Hindu community leaders do not welcome such
interventions in their religion. India, on the other hand, has
brought several changes to uphold women's rights.
Whatever the reason behind it, the reality is that no government can
avoid the liability of minority oppression if it occurs. The prime
and foremost responsibility of any government is to protect all its
citizens irrespective of gender, race, caste or religion from any
sort of violation of human rights. We believe that a speedy and
proper investigation of the incident should be ensured. This would
not only accelerate the prompt action on the part of the concerned
authority to ensure justice to the victim, but at the same time,
would discourage persecution of other members of minority
communities.
The writer is an advocate and Executive Director, BNWLA
Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande :
From Drishtipat newsgroup
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 28th 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 29th 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.
The SP of Manikganj admitted the truth of the event and took credit that on his order two culprits were arrested. But may we remind the gentleman- this is your duty to round up the culprits. But your police force, Mr. SP failed to give protection to the victim family even after the sickening event. The family under the threat of the influential coterie had to leave the family. 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 ?
Bicharer Bani Nirabe Nivrite Kande:
Repression on Minor Girls continues: Agonizing tale of little Mina
From Drishtipat newsgroup posting
The hand of a rapist is quite long. The same agonizing story of minor girl being sexually assaulted by a lunatic rapist. The rapists have no religion, no social status, their only identities are they are rapists, anti-socials and criminals of first grade. They have no respect or fear for social or court laws; they are not afraid of police or civil administration; they have no respect for social, religious or ethical values. Their long hands do not distinguish women of their social status, of their age or even marital status. Their only desire is to satisfy their lust for sex-hunger & beauty, no matter come what may. Women of every age minor or matured, urban or rural, poor or highly placed wealthy are not safe today in Bangladesh society.
This time the place of occurrence is Meherpur, mid-west most town of Bangladesh bordering with West Bengal. Meherpur is a historic name in reference to our war of liberation. Till mid April of 1971, Chuadanga was the war capital of Bangladesh, as declared by Tajuddin Ahmed when he met Major Abu Osman Choudhury, chief of Southwest war-field some time in the last week of March or early April before he crossed over to India to meet Indian PM Indira Gandhi, and confirmed by Bangladesh government when it came into existence on 10th April. After the fall of Chuadanga to Pakistani force Meherpur became the headquarter of southwest war field and temporary capital of Independent Bangladesh. Meherpur will continue to have permanent place in the history of Bangladesh as herein lies the war time capital, Mujibnagar, of Bangladesh government led by Taziddin Ahmed.
Date of incidence was Friday- 9th May, 2003 early in the morning. The unfortunate girl is an orphan named Mintunnesa aged 10 years. She reads in class VIII in a local Dakhil Madrasa. Her mother died when she was only a child and her father Abdul Mannan left the house at that time never to come back. Mina, since then she has been brought up by her grandmother Begum Razia who lives in cottage adjacent to the residence of Imam of a mosque in the locality Chakrapara. In her off time Mina usually goes to the residence of the Imam for learning sewing.
On the fateful day, Friday, 9th May early in the morning, around 8 pm as usual the poor unfortunate girl went to Imam’s house for taking lesson on sewing. Taking advantage of the time and loneliness Imam’s son name Chhoton called the little girl to his room and committed the most henious crime on the girl. He looted the ijjat of the girl forcibly. The girl cried in fear, but before any inmates of the house came to her aids, he injured her breasts and private parts with a knife, it is alleged. The beast had neither kindness, nor any sympathy for the minor girl. After committing the crime the Imam-son fled away leaving the victim lying in pool of blood. She was in an unconscious and very serious condition was taken to Meherpur general hospital with the aids of the neighbors. She is now under medical treatment in the hospital. Police had arrested mother of the rapist, Rowshan Ara.
It is learnt that Imam Saheb of the mosque at Chakrapur is an important leader of a component party of the 4-party alliance now governing the country. It is further alleged that he and Imam of T&T Jame Mosque together on last 2nd May made an acrimonious remark in reference to our national song, which created an unpalatable controversy among the elites and common citizens as well. The incidence of raping a minor daughter and physical injury done by his son created a tensed situation in the otherwise peaceful small town. It is learnt that after the incidence Imam is absconding.
How could we save these minor and poor unprotected girls from the long hand of a terrorist? Would our social leaders and fotowabaz religious mullahs rise to the occasion and come forward. Other wise, in the language of Rabindranath we will lamentably continue to sing –
“....And justice weeping silently and furtively at power misused,
No hope of redress.”
In the meanwhile let Rezinas, Rajufas, Minas.... continue to suffer ....
in silence.