Title: Minorities in Bangladesh Need to Pay Tax to Stay in their Ancestral  Homes
Author:  
Publication:  
Date: Oct 30, 2001
URL: http://www.hrcbm.org/news/sangbad_report.html

Minorities in Bangladesh Need to Pay Tax to Stay in their Ancestral  Homes - 
Declaration from BNP Cadres in Rauzan and Rangunia

(Translated from Bengali)
http://www.hrcbm.org/news/sangbad_report.html

SAMBAD, Dhaka, Karthik 15 (Bengali Calender), Tuesday, Oct 30, 2001

Picture: Bangladeshi Hindu lady Smt.(Mrs.) Shefali Das fled Bangladesh on Sunday and took refuge in Habra - 45 km north of Calcutta. After the BNP led Islamic alliance came to power, hundreds of Hindu families have fled Bangladesh for India to escape from oppression.

From Chitagong Bureau (South-east Bangladesh) by Anjan Kumar Sen: In many villages of Rauzan and Rangunia sub-districts, Hindus this year could not offer Durga Puja - not even `Ghat- puja' (symbolic Durga puja). Many houses were torched and looted (by Islamic Fundamentalists) after the general election on Oct 1st ..... Not only were their houses torched, but minorities have been threatened to pay tax to perform `ghat-puja' (worship). On Vijaya Dashami, (final day of worship) the oppressors (“Faizal Vahini”) also declared that the minorities need to pay monthly tax to live in Bangladesh. The police and administration are keeping quiet about these atrocities. Last Saturday, a resident of Rauzan - Mr. Adhir Dey had to leave his village because he dared to challenge the “declaration” (made by Islamic Fundamentalists).

Hundreds of minority families from these two sub-districts have moved to nearest towns to save the honor (due to rape) of their women and girls. In the villages Koyepara, Bagoan, Gujra, Noapara, Binajuri, Dabua, Deoanpur of Rauzan and the villages Kadamtali, Shilok, Podua, Sabek-Rangunia, Santiniketan of Rangunia minority homes are empty, except for elderly ladies. Minorities are so scared of losing their property and honor of their women that they are reluctant to go to police. Many lodged specific complaints, but did not get any help. They now consider this misfortune as their fate. Many allege that the police initially moved against some BNP cadres, but they had to backtrack under pressure from top BNP leaders. .... The home minister of Bangladesh has claimed that reporters are making a mountain out of a mole-hill .... (more descriptions of atrocities) ..... On 14th Oct, the Durga idol of Ramkrishana Sevashram was destroyed by the attackers, and a bengali businessman was mercilessly beaten ....