Title:
"Give us money or give us your daughter" Bangladeshi Christians are told
Author:
Publication: The Daily Janakantha (Bangladeshi daily Newspaper)
Date: Dec 7, 2001
URL: http://www.janakantha.net/December082001/fn2.pdf
(page 4 and 5)
Translated from The Daily Janakantha (Bangladeshi daily Newspaper)
"Give us money or give us your daughter"
BANGLADESHI CHRISTIAN FAMILIES SPEND NIGHTS IN TERROR
Natore, Bangladesh: In the Boraigram sub district of Natore district in Bangladesh Christian families with
adolescent daughters spend each night under the threat of losing their honor. Upon hearing the sound of a motorcycle
at night these girls start shivering and look for places where they can hide themselves from the
hoodlums. They try to blend in the bamboo stacks that make up their humble dwellings. Chatiangacha village
of above mentioned Boraigram is the home to 50 Christian families. Their ripened rice crops have
been forcibly taken after the October 1st national elections. Now the (Islamic) terrorists' attention
has shifted to the juvenile female members of the Christian community. Every night, announcing their
arrival with the sounds of their motorcycles, the ruling BNP's activists and
terrorists enter the locality. They call out the name of the father of the girl whom they want to
victimize that night. When the said girl's father comes in front of these hoodlums, a
'donation' of Taka 10,000 - 20,000 ( $200 - $400 U.S.) is demanded. They are given a time limit of 7-10 days
and if at that time the money is not paid, the girl would have to stay the night with the fanatics.
Jimmy Koraiya is a resident of Chatiangacha. His original home was in Dhaka. He still speaks in the
Dhaka accent. He sadly questions "What kind of country is? If I can't give money, I have to give
them my daughter? " The fanatics have come three times on their motorbikes to pick up Jimmy Koraiya's
daughter, High School student Suphala Koraiya for a night. The local residents have complained that
Boraigram's Jubodol's (rightwing extremist Islamic group) General Secretary, Sanaullah Noorbabu and his
assistants Taj, Mojammel, Hakim, Ikbal, Babul Bashar and Belal have created mass terror in the area via
extortion and terrorist activities. If someone fails to pay the 'donation' amount within the said time and
place, drummed up charges are brought up and a 'summons' notice is sent. In the Bonparha Market
area, a section of the BNP (Bangladesh's extremist ruling Islamic coalition) office is walled up and a
torture chamber has been built there. When the said 'accused' is brought in, he is placed inside the
chamber and is forced to make a confession in support of the accusation charges. Then they are forced to
pay the extortion amount under the guise of a fine. Joseph Gomes of Harowa village has also received a
summons signed by Sanaullah Noorbabu.