8 BNP men charge sheeted for attack on Hindus

Panicky situation prevails as 7 including the alleged mastermind still out of dragnet
Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
Ease and joy of normal life still eludes the Hindus at Satpatki Majhipara village in Mohendranagar union under Lalmonirhat district as all but one perpetrators of the barbaric attack and looting at the village on November 4 last year have remained scot-free, posing threat of further assault on the minority people. PHOTO: STAR
Ease and joy of normal life still eludes the Hindus at Satpatki Majhipara village in Mohendranagar union under Lalmonirhat district as all but one perpetrators of the barbaric attack and looting at the village on November 4 last year have remained scot-free, posing threat of further assault on the minority people. PHOTO: STAR

Police yesterday filed charge sheet against eight people for attacking Hindus at Satpatki Majhipara in Sadar upazila under the district on November 4 last year.
Of them, only Hamidul Islam, 44, is now in jail, while others -- Shawon Islam, 25, Alamgir Hossain, 25, Maznu Miah, 50, Abu Taher, 45, Badsha Miah, 45, Soleman Miah, 60, and  Rabi Hossain, 24, are still at large.
The eight accused, all residents of Satpatki village of Mohendranagar union in Lalmonirhat Sadar, were members of union units of BNP, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal and got expelled from the party for their alleged involvement in the attack on the Hindu village, police and locals said.
As some Hindus at Satpatki village declined to pay illegal toll, BNP men on November 4 attacked the village,  searched around 40 houses, looted four of them and assaulted several Hindus include women and children, police said.
Afterwards, teams from the district administration, police, Bangladesh Minority Watch, Ain O Salish Kendra and a few other human rights bodies and NGOs visited the affected village to investigate and exchange views with the locals but the culprits remained scot-free and threatened the victims to withdraw the case filed for the barbaric attack, affected people alleged.
"A panicky situation still prevails among the local Hindus as mastermind of the attack Shawon Islam and several other culprits are yet to be arrested. We are still under the threat of further attack," said Nikhil Chandra Roy, plaintiff of the case.
"Despite my request, the investigation officer (IO) of the case did not seek remand of arrested Hamidul. Besides, Lion Islam, 19, who was in the front line of the attack, has not been included in the charge sheet," he said.
Contacted, IO of the case SI Asaduzzaman said, "I prepared the charge sheet against eight accused after proper investigation. I did not include Lion Islam in the charge sheet as no clue was found against him during the investigation."
But the IO failed to give any satisfactory answer when asked why he did not appeal for remand of arrested attacker Hamidul to the court.
Several Hindus said they will appeal to the court for re-investigation of the case and revision of the charge sheet.

Published: 12:00 am Thursday, January 16, 2014