Industries Minister Amu backs secretary on blaming 'vested quarter' for deaths of Santals

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu has echoed the secretary to his ministry in blaming a 'vested quarter', and not the police, for the deaths of Santal in Gaibandha.

Three Santals died on Nov 6, when police opened fire on clashing tribesmen and workers of Rangpur Sugar Mill over the control of acquired land at Gobindaganj in Gaibandha.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday Amu said ‘the land does not belong to the Santals’ but that the Santals were being used as ‘pawns of the land grabbers'.

On Monday, Industries Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said he sees 'instigation by a vested quarter' behind the clashes and protests.

'Rangpur Sugar Mill' authorities acquired 1,840 acres of land in 18 villages occupied by Santals and Bengalis for sugar cane farming at Gaibandha's Gobindaganj Upazila. 

The deed of acquisition was signed in 1962 but the land was acquired in 1954, Minister Amu said on Tuesday. 

"This land did never belong to the Santals. They were used by land grabbers," he said at a media briefing after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on law and order.

"Some of the leaders of those, who are now shedding crocodile tears for the Santals, discussed the matter with me a month ago.” 

"I had explained it to them then and requested them to tell the Santals that they were being used," said the minister. 

He claimed that a certain quarter was attempting to grab the land. 

"So, the authorities' action was against the land grabbers. It had to be done as we had waited for three months trying to explain the situation to Santal community.

"But they did not leave. Moreover, they attacked the sugar mill's staff whenever they went for sugarcane farming. Even the police were injured. This was the situation," said Amu.

He added that the government also suspects a vested quarter's involvement in the attacks on Hindus in Brahmanbarhia. 

"Incidents of vandalising temples are being reported recently. We think it's linked with some vested quarter's interest.”