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Police inactive as Ahmadiyyas attacked in Rangpur, HR activists say

A fundamentalist group attacked houses belonging to Ahmadia community in four villages under Baderganj upzila in Rangpur but police did not take any action, human rights and legal aid activists alleged.

They made the allegation at a press conference here on Wednesday after visiting Dalapara, Gazipara, Dhamapur, and Shibpur villages. The attack was made on April 29.

Held at the Zila Parishad auditorium, it was addressed by Khushi Kabir, Coordainator of Nijwera Kori, an NGO. The team included, Sultana Kamal and Dr. Hamida Hossen, Executive Director and director respectively of Ayin O Shalish Kendra (a legal aid forum), Rangpur Lawyers Association Secretary Samsuzzman and Gonotantri Party leader Afzal Hossen and representatives of some local NGOs.

Khushi Kabir quoted local Ahmadia community leaders and said about three thousand people ransacked and looted their houses in the four villages on April 29. But when contacted, Officer-in-Charge of Baderganj thana Md Golam Mostafa said he did not know anything about the attack, she said.

During the visit, the community leaders told the team that their members were isolated from the society.

Their children are not allowed to go to school or madrassah and they can not go to markets, she quoted them as saying.

Abdul High, a member of the community, told the team that he is fleeing homes since April 29 as police, instead of arresting the attackers, are after him.

Jaedul, another member, complained to the team that some local leaders of Zamaat-e-Islami barred Imams of mosques to offer Namaz-e-Janaja of his elder brother Nazrul Islam who died on April 7, she said. Tension mounted in the area after the incident.

Aiyunuudin, another member, said police arrested his son Aiyub Ali though court granted him bail in connection with an incident in Rangpur Sader upzila. This is an allegation of police harassment.

After the visit, the team called on Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Karim at his office and urged him to take all necessary steps to protect the Ahmadias in the four villages.

The victims told the team that after the attack the OC refused to record any case.

Khushi Kabir told the newsmen that they were surprised when the Baderganj thana OC said he was not informed of any attack on Ahmadias on April 29.