National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman has alleged that police are arresting ‘innocent people’ sparing those involved in communal attacks at Santhia in Pabna.
Published : 07 Nov 2013, 07:37 PM
He made the allegation on Thursday while speaking to reporters after visiting houses, businesses and temples of Hindus at Bonogram in Santhia which were attacked by miscreants.
He termed arresting and suing innocent people ‘anti-human rights’ acts.
Miscreants attacked, ransacked and torched at least 35 houses, three temples and 15 businesses on Saturday after news spread that grade-10 student of Bonogram’s Sahaparha Rajib Saha slandered Prophet Muhammad on his Facebook page.
Rattled by the attack, members of the Hindu fled the village.
Mizanur said, “Police know who were involved in the attacks but are not arresting them for some unknown reasons.”
He demanded arrest of and exemplary punishment to the culprits irrespective of their political affiliation.
Officials of the Commission and local administration and political leaders were present during his visit.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BaSad), Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and district BNP also visited the village on Thursday.
After the visit, they told reporters the authorities should investigate the incident properly, not seeing it from political point of view and try the attackers.
District BNP provided each affected family with one sack of rice.
Three cases have been filed over the Santhia incident.
Ataikula Police Station Sub-Inspector Abdul Halim on Tuesday night filed a case under the Information and Communication Technology Act over the alleged defamation of the Prophet.
On Saturday night, Rajib’s father Bablu Saha sued several hundred people, naming 20, for the attacks. Police filed the second case over the incident against 40 people.
Three people have been arrested in the three cases.
Bablu, however, claimed that no accused in his case had been nabbed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak, State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku, Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker and RAB Director General Mokhlesur Rahman visited the village.