Staff Reporter :
Santals are the original owners of the lands that now are being claimed by Rangpur Sugar Mills at Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, as per documents.
This was revealed by some concerned citizens, under the banner of ‘Shocheton Nagorik’, at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity [DRU] in the city’s Segun Bagicha on Saturday.
They also described untold sufferings of the uprooted Santals what they had seen during their recent visit to Gaibandha.
The citizens’ body also demanded compensation for the families of the dead and injured Santals. A seven-point charter of demands was placed at the briefing that included judicial investigation into the incident and punishment to involved persons.
General Secretary of Adibasi Forum Sanjeeb Drong presented the
keynote paper in the press briefing. Professor of Economics at Dhaka University Dr Abul Barakat, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, President of Oikya NAP Pankaj Bhattachariya and Khushi Kabir, among others, spoke on the occasion.
“The government officials, from minister to secretary, are now telling to the media that Santals are not owner of the land”. This is totally false, and it was made with an attempt to misguide the common people. What we want to say is that: the owners of the lands are Santals and the forefathers of local poor people. We’ve got a copy of the document [khatian] of the land,” the written statement said.
“The names of Dudu Majhi, Durga Majhi, Jolpa Majhi, Jetha Kisku, Mongola Majhi, Mungli, Charu Majhi, Suku Majhi and others were found in the document -where their lands were marked in the Bagda farmland…. During our visit, the affected people also claimed that the Bagdafarm had been named after the name of Bagda Saren, a member of Santal community,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the concerned citizens have termed the attack on Gaibandha Santals as violation of human rights. They also urged the authorities to take responsibility of treatment of the injured Santals.
At the same time, the civil society group demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths of three Santals named Shaymol Himbrom, Mongol Mandri and Romesh Tudu. The group demanded withdrawal of a false case and removal of local administrative officials involved in the attack.
Three Santals were killed in a fierce clash when Gobindaganj upazila administration went to evict around 600 Santal families from their ancestral land in Sahebganj-Bagda Sugar Mill area on November 6. A fourth Santal victim’s body was found later in the sugar-cane land.
The eviction drive was carried out by police, RAB and BGB members who were joined by people allegedly loyal to the local ruling party lawmaker. The law enforcers opened fire and lobbed teargas canisters during the eviction drive.
At least 25 people, including nine policemen, were also wounded when the Santals threw arrows at police personnel and Rangpur Sugar Mills workers, who joined the eviction drive.
After the incident, police filed cases against the Santals on charge of obstructing the law enforcers.
Santals are the original owners of the lands that now are being claimed by Rangpur Sugar Mills at Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, as per documents.
This was revealed by some concerned citizens, under the banner of ‘Shocheton Nagorik’, at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity [DRU] in the city’s Segun Bagicha on Saturday.
They also described untold sufferings of the uprooted Santals what they had seen during their recent visit to Gaibandha.
The citizens’ body also demanded compensation for the families of the dead and injured Santals. A seven-point charter of demands was placed at the briefing that included judicial investigation into the incident and punishment to involved persons.
General Secretary of Adibasi Forum Sanjeeb Drong presented the
keynote paper in the press briefing. Professor of Economics at Dhaka University Dr Abul Barakat, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, President of Oikya NAP Pankaj Bhattachariya and Khushi Kabir, among others, spoke on the occasion.
“The government officials, from minister to secretary, are now telling to the media that Santals are not owner of the land”. This is totally false, and it was made with an attempt to misguide the common people. What we want to say is that: the owners of the lands are Santals and the forefathers of local poor people. We’ve got a copy of the document [khatian] of the land,” the written statement said.
“The names of Dudu Majhi, Durga Majhi, Jolpa Majhi, Jetha Kisku, Mongola Majhi, Mungli, Charu Majhi, Suku Majhi and others were found in the document -where their lands were marked in the Bagda farmland…. During our visit, the affected people also claimed that the Bagdafarm had been named after the name of Bagda Saren, a member of Santal community,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the concerned citizens have termed the attack on Gaibandha Santals as violation of human rights. They also urged the authorities to take responsibility of treatment of the injured Santals.
At the same time, the civil society group demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths of three Santals named Shaymol Himbrom, Mongol Mandri and Romesh Tudu. The group demanded withdrawal of a false case and removal of local administrative officials involved in the attack.
Three Santals were killed in a fierce clash when Gobindaganj upazila administration went to evict around 600 Santal families from their ancestral land in Sahebganj-Bagda Sugar Mill area on November 6. A fourth Santal victim’s body was found later in the sugar-cane land.
The eviction drive was carried out by police, RAB and BGB members who were joined by people allegedly loyal to the local ruling party lawmaker. The law enforcers opened fire and lobbed teargas canisters during the eviction drive.
At least 25 people, including nine policemen, were also wounded when the Santals threw arrows at police personnel and Rangpur Sugar Mills workers, who joined the eviction drive.
After the incident, police filed cases against the Santals on charge of obstructing the law enforcers.
