Gaibandha Attack: HC accepts probe report by judicial magistrate
The High Court yesterday accepted a probe report prepared by the chief judicial magistrate of Gaibandha over the incident of setting fire to Santal houses during an eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila on November 6 last year.
The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Devnath fixed February 7 for passing an order on the report that found some police personnel and locals guilty of torching houses of indigenous people.
The court also asked the officials concerned of the HC to supply a copy of the investigation report to the writ petitioner who sought necessary order over the incident.
Chief Judicial Magistrate of Gaibandha Mohammad Shahidullah submitted the report to the Supreme Court's registrar office on Sunday.
Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu placed the probe report before the HC bench yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Santal community of Gobindaganj's Madarpur and Joypurpara villages demanded punishment to the police personnel involved in torching Santal houses in Shahebganj sugarcane farm of Rangpur Sugar Mills, reports our Gaibandha correspondent.
"We don't know what is happening, but police involved in driving out Santal families and setting fire to their sheds should be punished. We want to settle on the land," said Rafayel Hasda, a leader of Shahebganj-Bagda Bhumi Uddhar Sangram Committee.
"We still stick to our one-point demand of returning our forefathers' properties, but no step has been taken yet in this regard," said Subol Hembrom of Joypurpara village.
"No progress has been made to rehabilitate the Santal families in Shahebganj sugarcane farm, and no initiative has been taken yet from any quarter for returning the land to them after nearly three months of their eviction, said Nitai Tudu of the same village.
Mihir Ghosh, president of Gaibandha Communist Party of Bangladesh, said after visiting the spot of Shahebganj sugarcane farm on November 7 last year, they demanded a judicial investigation into the police action.
Policemen involved in setting fire to Santal houses must be punished and at the same time, those who patronised police for doing excesses should also be tried, he said.
Three Santals were killed in a clash with Rangpur Sugar Mills staff and police. At least 25 people, including nine policemen, were injured in the incident. Several Santal houses were also burned down.
Comments