Activists of Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefajat-e-Islam as well as goons from outlying villages, who joined rallies at Nasirnagar, instigated and carried out attacks on the Hindus and vandalised their temples and houses, locals and victims have alleged.
The local administration is yet to find out who mastermind the attack or those who took part in the attacks,
even five days after the attacks on Hindu minorities at Haripur union and Nasirnagar town in Brahmanbaria.
About 200 houses and business establishments and 22 temples of Hindus were vandalised and looted on Sunday by groups of local Muslims.
They came to the upazila headquarters to join rallies demanding punishment of a Hindu youth, Rasraj Das, who allegedly shared a doctored photo showing an idol set on the Kaaba on his facebook wall on Friday.
Two protest rallies were arranged by local — one by Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat at Nasirnagar college intersection and the bother by Towhidi Janata of qoumi group undercover of Hefajat-e-Islam at Ashutosh Pilot High School.
Meanwhile, the Brahmanbaria judicial magistrates’ court on Thursday granted a five-day remand of Rasraj, 27.
Judge Sultan Uddin Sohag passed the order after the police sought a seven-day remand for interrogation.
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday claimed that there was no neglect of responsibility on the part of the law enforcement agencies.
He, however, said that Nasirnagar police could have been more active in tackling the situation and that was why the officer-in-charge of the station was withdrawn.
‘Police could have been more active in tackling the situation on the day and considering it we have withdrawn the officer-in-charge of Nasirnagar police station,’ Asaduzzaman said responding to reporters’ queries about the failure of the local police in containing the rampage.
National Human Rights Commission chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque at a press conference in the capital on Thursday said that their fact finding committee after visiting the spots came a decision that ‘a conspirator quarter instigated people to carry out attacks in a planned way’.
‘Many including Jethagram Hafizia Madrassah Maulana Nur Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed of village Datmandal, Sabuj Haji of village Chapartala, former UP member of Gaura temple area Oli, Faruk Molla of village Kharakpara and Rahim of Paschimpara were involved with the conspiring quarters,’ he said.
Kazi Reazul Hoque alleged that Nasirpur upazila AL president Rafi Uddin and general secretary ATM Maniruzzaman Sarkar instigated the mob from the rallies at the upazila town.
At least five locals said Tajuddin Ahmed died few years back and but his son BNP activist Mahbub Ahmed was among the attackers.
They added that Mahbub carrying sticks and riding a horse had attacked the Hindu houses in different areas.
When approached for his comments, Mahbub fled the spot.
Fact finding committee chief and NHRC member Enamul Hoque Chowdhury said that name of Tajuddin was a mistake and they would correct it soon.
‘We have heard that Tajuddin’s son Mahbub was among the attackers’ he said.
Locals immediately could not identify Sabuj Haji but they said that Chapartola Union AL president Suraj Ali was among the instigators. Suraj while talking at Towhidi Janata rally as asked all to ‘slaughter the Hindus’, many witnesses said.
Enamul Hoque Chowdhury said they would look into the matter of Suraj Ali.
When contacted, Suraj Ali denied the allegation but admitted that he had joined the protest rally of Towhidi Janata.
Former Bhureswar Union Parishad member Mohammad Oli Miah had won the election with the blessing of Awami League in 1996.
When contacted, Oli said this was an imaginary report; he rather tried to protect the Hindus.
Contradicting him, locals said that Sumon and Milon, two sons of Oli, had attacked Gaura Mandir.
Nasirnagar AL general secretary Moniruzzaman said he and his president joined the both rallies and spoke there urging the people for a peaceful protest.
Nasirnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Choudhury Muazzam Ahmed refused to make any comment on the NHRC fact finding committee report.
‘The matter is under investigation and I am not in a position to make any comment,’ he said.
At least three video footages of the attack on Gaura Mandir at Mahakalpara and Dutta Bari Mandir at Dutta Para, which New Age has obtained, show that mobs, mostly youths and teenagers, in shirt and pants, taking part in the attacks.
Nasirpur Awami League general secretary ATM Moniruzzaman Sarkar, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat convener Reazul Karim, Towhidi Janata chairman mufti Muklesur Rahman, BNP general secretary MA Hannan rejected the allegations and all said that some ‘third vested quarters’ who wanted to create anarchy had carried out the attacks.
Ahle Sunnat leader Reazul Karim and Towhidi Janata leader Muklesur Rahman both categorically denied that any attack took place from their rallies.
They both alleged that the AL leaders could have instigated their activists to take part in the attacks because of internal conflicts of the party.
Reazul and Mukesur both also alleged that people who wanted to destabilise the government could have attacked the minorities.
‘Attackers might be local goons, Hindu land grabbers, Hindu people who have conflict with other Hindus,’ said Muklesur.
Locals said that Haripur union Awami League president Faruk Miah’s cousin Kaptan Miah, who is also Awami League activist, instigated mobs to launch the attacks in Haripur area.
Kaptan was not available for comment but Faurk said his brother did not instigate the attacks.
Locals have alleged that mobs that came to join the rally of Touhidi Janata branched into several groups and simultaneously attacked Namasurdrpara, Sarkar Para, Kahsipara, Mahakalpara and other areas while the mobs, who joined the rally of Ahle Sunnat, carried out the attack on the Hindus of Dutta Para.
Villagers, mostly youth of Haripur, Sanakaradah, Harinber, Noorpur, datmandal, Asoarail, Benipara, Kahetura and others had taken part in the attacks on the temples and houses at Haripur and upazila town.
Locals alleged that Nasirnagar Chhatra League leader Rabbi Rubel, Chhatra Dal activist Marzan Bhuiya of the same union, upazila town hefajat activist Haris Miah, Jammat activist Dhuku Miah and Shukkar Ali of Nasirnagar upazila town also instigated the attacks.
‘We are working to find out mastermind and people who took part in the attack’ said Nasirnagar police officer-in-charge Abdul Kader, who had been withdrawn from the position but was still carrying out duties.
‘Most of the attackers were teenagers; we are scrutinising video footages to identify attackers,’ he added.
Nasirnagar BNP general secretary Hannan said no leaders and activists of the party had taken part in the attacks or instigated anybody.
– See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/2058/political-faces-among-attackers-instigators#sthash.frXkRpVI.dpuf
Source: New Age
