Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
Unknown men set Gobindaganj Santals’ crops on 40 bighas of land ablaze on Saturday morning despite the tight security which panicked the affected ethnic group further.
Not only that, they were allegedly stranded in front of a local Pagoda at Madarpur village under Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha district.
The Santals are now passing in hardship for they cannot go out of their shelters for doing their daily activities in fear of additional attacks. Even at least six more Santal people have
been missing since the clash erupted resulting in the death of three persons and injuries to 40. They do not go to their workplaces, markets, paddy fields, hospitals, union parishad office and police station.
About two weeks ago, some 1,500 Santal families were evicted from their ancestral lands. They are now living under the open sky in a nearby village of Sapmara union with none to extend a helping hand.
“We are likely to lose our agriculture lands, which were means of our livelihood,” Rafayel Hasda, Treasurer of Madarpur Bhumi Uddhar Committee, told The New Nation on Saturday, adding that relief materials supplied by the Administration were inadequate and disappointing.
“We have no confidence in the government’s assurance of giving us shelters near their evicted lands,” said Rafayel Hasda. On November 16, the government decided to build new homes for the Santals of Gobindaganj, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The new homes would be built on over 10 acres of land (4.05 hectares) in Gobindaganj’s Katabari area. Dijen Tudu, accused of ‘police assault’ case, said, “Attackers came and our houses were looted and everything burnt.” Tears were rolling down his cheeks when he was speaking.
“We are like birds, flying from one place to another,” says Dijen about the plight of ethnic minorities.
“The situation remains unchanged as men, women and children cannot go out of their shelters due to fear of further assaults in the streets,” alleged, Professor Mezbah Kamal, also indigenous people right activist.
Rather, the Administration had asked them to leave the villages where they are staying temporarily after being evicted from their land, he said.
“We are still in fear, said Elikha Mardi, a Santal woman from Madarpur. “We are waiting and hoping that the government will meet our reasonable demands for rehabilitation and work,” she said. “We are still suffering. There is no reason to trust anymore,” said Sri Ezekiel. “We have been able to survive by sharing only a handful of rice,” Soban Soren.
“Nobody can change their dresses as there was nothing left for them to put on,” he said.
Rustom Ali, 50, said, “We are helpless. We don’t know what to eat and where to go? If someone goes out of the village he comes back after being beaten by local goons.”
Abdus Samad, Deputy Commissioner of Gaibandha, said, “We gave assurances to the victims that their children could go to schools and elders for work.
About 150 packages of relief materials including rice, edible oil, salt and potato were distributed among the Santals, he said.
Ashraful Alam, Superintendent of Police of Gaibandha, said. “We have also given them our phone numbers to inform us whenever they need security. But the problem is that the Santals do not want to talk to us.”
Rangpur Sugar Mills MD Abdul Awal said that this fence should have been put up a long time ago as per the law.
According to Abdul Matin, President of Rangpur Sugar Mills Workers Union, the Rangpur Sugar Mills were established on 326 acres of land in 1954 and have been incurring losses for 58 years. The government temporarily shut down the mills on May 31 in 2004. After its reopening in July 16, 2006, the sugar mills, remained operational for just 33 days, producing 5,315 tonnes of sugar in 2007-08, shows the annual report of the Industries Ministry (2014-15).
On November 6, police fired and lobbed teargas shells during an eviction drive at the Shahebganj sugarcane farm leaving three Santals killed and many others injured. “The clash occurred over 761.62 hectares of land in Shahebganj where sugarcane was being farmed. The land is claimed by Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gobindaganj.
Unknown men set Gobindaganj Santals’ crops on 40 bighas of land ablaze on Saturday morning despite the tight security which panicked the affected ethnic group further.
Not only that, they were allegedly stranded in front of a local Pagoda at Madarpur village under Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha district.
The Santals are now passing in hardship for they cannot go out of their shelters for doing their daily activities in fear of additional attacks. Even at least six more Santal people have
been missing since the clash erupted resulting in the death of three persons and injuries to 40. They do not go to their workplaces, markets, paddy fields, hospitals, union parishad office and police station.
About two weeks ago, some 1,500 Santal families were evicted from their ancestral lands. They are now living under the open sky in a nearby village of Sapmara union with none to extend a helping hand.
“We are likely to lose our agriculture lands, which were means of our livelihood,” Rafayel Hasda, Treasurer of Madarpur Bhumi Uddhar Committee, told The New Nation on Saturday, adding that relief materials supplied by the Administration were inadequate and disappointing.
“We have no confidence in the government’s assurance of giving us shelters near their evicted lands,” said Rafayel Hasda. On November 16, the government decided to build new homes for the Santals of Gobindaganj, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The new homes would be built on over 10 acres of land (4.05 hectares) in Gobindaganj’s Katabari area. Dijen Tudu, accused of ‘police assault’ case, said, “Attackers came and our houses were looted and everything burnt.” Tears were rolling down his cheeks when he was speaking.
“We are like birds, flying from one place to another,” says Dijen about the plight of ethnic minorities.
“The situation remains unchanged as men, women and children cannot go out of their shelters due to fear of further assaults in the streets,” alleged, Professor Mezbah Kamal, also indigenous people right activist.
Rather, the Administration had asked them to leave the villages where they are staying temporarily after being evicted from their land, he said.
“We are still in fear, said Elikha Mardi, a Santal woman from Madarpur. “We are waiting and hoping that the government will meet our reasonable demands for rehabilitation and work,” she said. “We are still suffering. There is no reason to trust anymore,” said Sri Ezekiel. “We have been able to survive by sharing only a handful of rice,” Soban Soren.
“Nobody can change their dresses as there was nothing left for them to put on,” he said.
Rustom Ali, 50, said, “We are helpless. We don’t know what to eat and where to go? If someone goes out of the village he comes back after being beaten by local goons.”
Abdus Samad, Deputy Commissioner of Gaibandha, said, “We gave assurances to the victims that their children could go to schools and elders for work.
About 150 packages of relief materials including rice, edible oil, salt and potato were distributed among the Santals, he said.
Ashraful Alam, Superintendent of Police of Gaibandha, said. “We have also given them our phone numbers to inform us whenever they need security. But the problem is that the Santals do not want to talk to us.”
Rangpur Sugar Mills MD Abdul Awal said that this fence should have been put up a long time ago as per the law.
According to Abdul Matin, President of Rangpur Sugar Mills Workers Union, the Rangpur Sugar Mills were established on 326 acres of land in 1954 and have been incurring losses for 58 years. The government temporarily shut down the mills on May 31 in 2004. After its reopening in July 16, 2006, the sugar mills, remained operational for just 33 days, producing 5,315 tonnes of sugar in 2007-08, shows the annual report of the Industries Ministry (2014-15).
On November 6, police fired and lobbed teargas shells during an eviction drive at the Shahebganj sugarcane farm leaving three Santals killed and many others injured. “The clash occurred over 761.62 hectares of land in Shahebganj where sugarcane was being farmed. The land is claimed by Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gobindaganj.
