An adolescent Hindu Girl Raped in Bangladesh

                                                                       

  Repesent: Dr. Santosh Rai

RECORDED INCIDENT

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

I. Write a letter to the highest authorities of Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office bringing the issues to their notice and demanding immediate action:

1. The President,

Bangabhaban, Dhaka, Bangladesh

2. Sheikh Hasina Wazed

The Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Old Sansad Bhaban

Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215

Bangladesh

Easy to do: E-mail:   info@pmo.gov.bdThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

II. Send a copy of your letter to the UNHRC bringing raising the issue at international forum:

 Postal address:

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Palais des Nations

CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

III. You may send register your protest at the following number:

Telephone: +41 22 917 9000

 Also E-mail your queries in this regards to: InfoDesk@ohchr.orgThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

SAMPLE LETTER

(Please do NOT use the sample letter verbatim)

Honourable President/ Prime Minister Hasina Wazed,

It has come to my knowledge that Hindu minority in Bangladesh are under threat of their life, self-respect and property. They are continuously harassed on one pretext or the other. As per the media report, one of the recent incident is the rape of  Ms. Momata Rani (15) of Horipur Upazila of Thakurgaon District in Bangladesh by some Muslims namely Mohammad Belal, Mohammad Saddam and  Mohammad Kabir. The incident has been reported as per Case Number: Horipur P.S. case No.01 dated 06.01.2011 under section 7/9(1)/30 of Nari O Shishu Nirjatan Ain, 2003.

I request you to kindly examine the matter by taking personal interest so that required relief reaches the much raped, harassed and tortured victim. Kindly inform me of the actions taken in this regard and the step your government proposes to take so that the discriminatory provisions of Vested Property Act are nullified. I can be reached via e-mail at _______________and/or via phone at _____________.

Thanking you.

Sincerely yours,

Contact Information

Amit Singh

Hindu Vigil

Email: hindu.vigil@vhs-net.comThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Voicemail:  1-206-426-5363

Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) received an appeal from Ms.Momata Rani requesting us for legal assistance as she has been sexually assaulted by above perpetrators on 5th of January, 2011 deceived her in the name of marriage. As per version of the victim one Muslim man Mohammad Belal used to tease her every time for sexual assault. The perpetrators are nearer of her village. The victim did never respond to his request. On the date of occurrence dated 05.01.11 the victim went for natural call 40 meters away from her house at about 7 p.m. But the perpetrator number 1 with the help of perpetrator number 2 and 3 caught hold of the victim and forcefully unclothed her wearing pant and accused number 1 raped her without her consent and she cried loudly. Thereafter the accused Md. Belal told her to marry and all of them kidnapped and abandoned her nearer at the house of Md. Belal and Belal absconded after sexually assaulting her. The father and mother of Mohammd Belal saw the victim and helped the victim to reach at her home. Mr. Mohendra and Mr. Matil asked her who raped her and she disclosed all the events and she went to police station and lodged the First information report on 6.01.2011 against three perpetrators. BDMW enquired about the rape of the minority girl at Horipur police station on 9th of January, 2011 and Mr.Hasmat Ali Officer in charge of police station informed us that the incident of rape has been initially proved and the victim was sent for medical examination. But no perpetrators have yet been arrested by police.

CASE ASSESSMENT

The incident of torture, harassment, physical threat, coercion and violence against Hindus in Bangladesh is very common. The Hindus are facing different kinds of discriminations, seizure of land and other forms of property, rape, arson and forcible conversions. The dwindling minority population which has come down from around 30% in 1947 to current less than 9% is a pointer to this fact. The enactment of Enemy's property Act during 1965 war by the Pakistani dictator, Gen. Ayub Khan led to large scale confiscation of properties of Hindus. That law is still in existence and it is totally a discriminatory legislation. After it was challenged in the Supreme Court, it was renamed, "Vested Property Act". Under this law the government of Bangladesh had confiscated nearly 64,000 acres of land of Hindus. There is a systematic attempt to deprive the Hindus from their properties and force them to either convert to Islam or to flee Bangladesh.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION

The daily "Ajkaler Khabar" dated 8th January,2011Through: Adv.Rabindra GhoshFounder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW)12, K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully, Bholagiri Trust, Sutrapur P.S.,Dhaka, Bangladesh.http://www.bdmw.org/

Source: http://www.voi.org/