Hindus tortured cruelly at Netrokona, Magura in Bangladesh

On April 24, 2014, large groups of radical Muslims raided two Kali Temples belonging to the minority Hindu community in the district of Netrokona in Bangladesh. it has come to knowledge, Kali Temple of Ekata Sangha located at the Nadir Par Satpai within the municipal area became victim to the Islamic onslaught in the night. A few holy deities including Kali, Saraswati and Shiva were both defiled and destroyed. On the other hand, the Kali Temple located at the Hindu crematorium of Badagara Gopalpur in the outskirts of the town was attacked in the evening and five holy deities were desecrated and destroyed. Even if higher officials of local police and administration have visited the spot, no investigation has started yet. It is alleged, fear of Hindus to lodge official complaints to the police station has prevented police to initiate any investigation.  Locals have also been found to claim that the police report will be of no avail as well.  This area in the district of Netrokona is known for recurrent attempts on Hindu temples but there has been no definite approach against the miscreants up till now.

Not Hindu temples only but if truth be told no Hindu individual can even envisage getting fair treatment from the administration also. If rival gangs clash or fight back and Hindus become victims, there remains hardly anyone to ask the administration to solve their anguishes. Without doubt, the number of liberals is no diminutive in Bangladesh but they are hardly heard in a hard-core Islamic country like contemporary Bangladesh.

On April 25, in the noon, 10 Hindu houses were pillaged in the village of Hat Malanchi of Raghabdair Union within the sub-district headquarter of Magura in the district of Magura owing to the death of an activist of BNP. The slain person was identified as Omar Ali (age 45), an active BNP cadre of Raghabdair Union. What’s the fault of Hindus then? They did nothing and in accordance with police report and also Jehangir Alam, O.C. of the local police station, the gruesome murder was the result of a political clash between local activists of BNP and Awami League. On the word of Jalal Biswas, a local resident, ever since the last Parliamentary election in Bangladesh, Tujamuddin (responsible activist) and Nayeb Ali group belonging to BNP has been at daggers drawn with Obaidur Rehman (organizational secretary) and Rasul Biswas (ward president) of Awami League in the same Raghabdair Union and the entire area has remained witness to violent scuffles without an exception yet.

On the fateful day, it was afternoon when supporters of Obaidur and Rasul group in Awami League got hold of Omar Ali, known for his devout loyalty to the group of Tujamuddin and Nayeb Ali, in the Hat Malanchi village all of a sudden and chased him. Albeit Omar tried his best to evade the murderous supporters of Awami League, he was grabbed fast and killed mercilessly. The news of murder spread like a wild fire in the vicinity resulting in the visit of Tujamuddin and Rasool Mian with their supporters to the spot of murder. BNP supporters, to vent their anger and frustration, ransacked 10 houses of Hindus who prefer to steer clear of turbulence always.

Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.