Investigative Report of Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities on the incident of murder of Rajib Sutradhar – a Hindu minority youth at Katakhali, P.S. Trishal, Dist. Mymensingh (Investigation conducted by HRCBM-Dhaka on 01.12.06)
See FIR in the Photo section at Rajit Sutradhar
I, Adv. Rabindra Ghosh along with Prof. Asoke Toru of HRCBM-Dhaka reached at Trisal police station within the district of Mymensingh on way to Neamatpur of Kishoreganaj district as per report published in the newspaper – The daily “Sangbad” dated 11.11.2006 with regard to murder of Rajib Sutradhar aged about 17.
BACK-GROUND INFORMATION: -
Rajib Sutradhar (17) son of Badal Chandra Sutradhar( 45) (F) Chandana Rani Sutradhar (35) (M) was the permanent youth of Bangladesh and residing at Katakahli, P.S. Trishal, Dist. Mymensingh with his legal guardians. Rajib was the examinee of Secondary School Certificate, he could not succeed last year and was preparing himself for next SSC examination. The economic condition of the family is not good. He is the only son of the family. He was boy of good amiable disposition and has no enmity with any of his associates/friends.
On 07.11.2006 at about 2 p.m. his friend Md. Harunar Rashid @ Maksud son of Abdul Quddus Meah of the neighboring locality came to the house of Rajib and asked Rajib to accompany him to an unknown place, but Rajib did not agree to accompany him and as a result there was altercation between them. But once again at about 7.15 p.m. when Rajib was busy with the study, Md.Harunar Rashid approached and wanted Rajib for mutual interest. For sometime a gossiped with his grandfather – Dherendra Chandra Sutradhar and at last he managed to took him out of the house. At the time of departure he asked his aunt – Protima Rani Sutradhar about the time – she answered it was 7.29 p.m. But ill luck would have it Rajib did not turn up even after 9 p.m., his father went to the house of Md. Harunar Rashid and asked mother of Md.Harunar Rashid about their children. In reply they informed that Md. Harunar Rashid has not yet come to his house. Finding no other alternative father of victim being accompanied with Mr. Kitab Ali son of late Moinuddin Sheik of the same locality went to the house of Md.Harunar Rashid. When asked about his son Md. Harunar Rashid denied his involvement. After his denial, a local member – A Rahaman Dulal son of late Habibur Rahman, Md. Ayub Ali son of late Abdur Rahman, Md. Saidur Rahman son of late Solaiman, Md. Abdur Kader, Md. Bablu Meah son of late Mizana, Anwar Hossain son of late A. Hakim, Md. A.Kalam son of Hajee Nayan Ali of the same locality interrogated Md. Harunar Rashid @ Maksud and pressed him to confess the truth. After long interrogation Maksud admitted that the side of a shallow machine of Khora Haazir Bari under Fulbaria police station saw the victim. Having been informed so; all the people stated above searched the victim –Rajib at different places on that night, but to no purpose. At last they confined Maksud in a room.
On the next day, 8th November, 06 at about 9 a.m. in the morning they got an information through Kitab Ali that Rajib was found hanging with a rope on a Pine apple tree at a place called “ Madhur Bitha” of Kalibazail under Fulbaria police satiation. All of them along with elite of the village rushed to the spot and recovered the dead body of Rajib Sutradhar in presence of the O.C. Fulbaria Police station.
A case being Trishal P.S. Case No.09 dated 07.11.2006 under section 302/34/201 of Bangladesh Penal code has been started by Badal Chandra Sutradhar – father of the victim of Trishal police station under Mymensingh district as the jurisdiction of the case falls within Trishal Police station.
Investigation :
We have reached Trishal police station at about 6 p.m. and found Tarapada Sikder – Officer-in charge of Police station posted as O.C.recently, we have received a copy of F.I.R. lodged by father of the victim-boy. We also found the I.O. of the case who told us that the Additional Superintendent of Police, Mymensingh would conduct an investigation on this brutal murder at his office. Accordingly we went to the office of Superintendent of Police, Myamensingh and found the local Dhonighola U,.P. Member- A.Rahaman Dulal (Telephone No. 017124064501) expressed that the perpetrator along with his two friends Abdul Hamid son of Abdul Hakim Khalifa of Katakhali village, Md. Alauddisan (25) son of late Keramat Ali of Ichail – Fulbaria P.S. and Minir son of A. Karim Master of Kali Bazail, P.S. Fulbaria conspired beforehand to kill the victim-Rajib behind the shop of Alauddian. The following witnesses present at the time of our investigation and deposed that the victim was strangulated to death and hanged the dead body in the Pineapple tree with active conspiracy other conspirators to grab the property of the victim family. Their statements have been videotaped.
1.Ms.Hena Rani Sutradhar (40) wife of Nirmal Chandra Sutradhar
2. Nirmal Chandra Sutradhar (45) son of Dhirendra Chandra Sutradhar.
3. Md. Bazalur Rahman (30) son of late Mizan Ali Mondala
4. Md. Abdual Quddus (45) son of late Umed Ali Mridha.
5. Bipul Chandra Sutradhar son of Nirendra Chandra Sutradhar
6. Md. Saidul Islam Mondal (40) son of late Solaiman Mondal
7. Md. Anwar Hossaian (30) late Abdul Hakim
8. Nirendra Chandra Sutradhar (70) late Sadhana Chandra Sutradhar.
9. Ms.Pratima Ranai Sutradhar (20) wife of Promode Chandra Sutradhar.
10.Promode Chandra Sudradhar (35) son of Dhirendra Chandra Sutradhar.
11.Kitab Ali son of late Naimuddin.
Misbehavior of Additional Superintendent of Police, Mymensingh
We, on 2.12.06 at about 10 a.m. politely sought help from Superintendent of Police, Mymensingh for smooth investigation by our HR group in this murder case, but the Additional Superintendent of Police –Mymensingh most discourteously disconnected our Mobile phone and misbehaved with us, which could not be taped due to shortage of time. He wanted us not to investigate the matter.
Statement of parents of the victim :
Ms.Chandana Rani Sutradhar and Badal Chandra Sutradhar –mother and father of the victim respectively cried out and vehemently made perpetrators along with principal accused- Md.Harunar Rashid responsible for abduction and killing of their son – Rajib Sutradhar and prayed for legal help in this connection. The perpetrators made efforts to make the case as suicidal and they hanged Rajib with a rope under pineapple treee. They also gave us a written appeal for their help and financial assistance and for protection of their lives also on 2.12.06. They also informed us that due to their religious faith they are being discriminated many times in that village. They got no justice mostly from the neighboring people because of their religious faith. We have videotaped their statements in presence of other witnesses present on 02.12.2006.
Findings and Recommendations:
Brutal murder of Hindu youth - Rajib Sutradhar is a heinous offence. It is pre-meditated and cold-blooded murder. But reason of such murder ascertained by our Human rights group, from various sources, is completely out of fundamentalist attitude upon a minority Hindu family. The perpetrators wanted to grab the landed properties belonging to this Hindu family, as there are no other more Hindus within the locality, but we observed some local Muslims have discovered perpetrators, dead body although there is conflict amongst the Muslims of that area.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. Citizens were generally free to practice the religion of their choice; however, government officials, including the police, were often ineffective in upholding law and order and were sometimes slow to assist religious minority victims of harassment and violence. The Government and many civil society leaders think that violence against religious minorities normally had political or economic motivations and could not be attributed only to religion. But in some cases religion and amended laws of the country are the factor for survival of the religious minorities in Bangladesh, such as (i) Islam as State religion, (ii) Striking out the state principle “Secularism” from the Constitution and (iii) Vested (Enemy) Property Act- a black law.
In this case although police arrested one perpetrator, but the investigation process seems to be slow and there is little chance of getting justice from the court of law as some witnesses have become hostile due to religious belief.
1) The Minorities should be protected and their rights to enjoy living peacefully in their homestead should be ensured.
2) The perpetrators of such heinous crime against humanity should be brought to book and deterrent punishment should be awarded for such crime.
3) The Government should adequately compensate the family members of the victim-youth so that they can survive in the society with dignity.
4) Perfunctory investigation by the police should not be done so as to enable justice seekers to get justice without any iota of doubt.
5) All International protocols including International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESR), ratified by Bangladesh should be acted upon meticulously.
6) Convention on the Rights of Child ratified by the Government of Bangladesh should be implemented.
We have proceeded to Kishoreganj district towards Neamatpur on the night for another investigation of rape case of Ms.Nidra Rani Monirishi and her sister.
Through:
Rabindra Ghosh
President-HRCBM-Dhaka-Bangladesh.
www.hrcbm.org
www.hrcbmdfw.org