Chief judicial magistrate visits Gaibandha Santals’ village

A chief judicial magistrate visited two villages in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha to investigate into the November 6 attacks on the Santal community.

The Gaibandha Chief Judicial Magistrate, Md Shahidullah, talked to the people of the ethnic community at Madarpur and Joypurpara villages while conducting a judicial enquiry into the attack, reports our Gaibandha correspondent.

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During his two-hour visit that started around 11:00am, Md Shahidullah talked to the villagers to collect information, said Abdul Hannan, Gobindaganj upazila nirbahi officer.  

In compliance with a High Court order delivered on December 14, he went there to conduct a judicial enquiry to find out whether any policemen were involved in setting fire to Santal houses during an eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila.

In response to a petition by three rights bodies, the court on that day asked the magistrate to take steps to track down those involved in the arson, and submit the probe report to it within 15 days.

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Earlier in the morning, a 10-member team of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) led by its Additional Superintendent (Bogra) Akhter Hossain went to the villages and talked with the Santals.

On November 6, Santals and Bangalee farmers clashed with Rangpur Sugar Mill labourers and police as they tried to drive them out from a disputed land. When Adivasis resisted the eviction move, police opened fire at them, leaving two Santals reportedly dead and more than 20 injured.