Probe commission starts field visits today

The commission formed to probe 2001 post-election violence starts visiting different parts of the country today to gather information and evidence of attacks on minority communities and leaders and workers of the then opposition Awami League across the country.
The three-member investigation commission headed by former district judge Muhammad Sahabuddin will visit during April 10-17 six southern districts--Barisal, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Bagerhat and Gopalganj--where massive violence took place.
Just after winning the October 1, 2001 general elections, party men of the ruling BNP-Jamaat coalition allegedly launched attacks on Hindus and AL leaders and activists at many places.
The commission was formed on December 27 following a High Court directive and it started working formally on February 7. In the mean time, it received over 1,000 allegations in writing from the victims.
The present Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina had directed her party leaders and workers to file allegations with the probe commission.
The commission will exchange views with cross sections of people, both victims and witnesses.
Its members will also talk to people of different socio-cultural, political and human rights organisations for information and evidence. The local administration will assist the commission.
On April 11, the commission members will record statements of victims at Barisal Circuit House and then visit the places of occurrence.
"We will investigate who after the 2001 elections committed the violence and how and look into the progress of the cases filed in connection with the incidents," said commission member Mir Shahidul Islam, also additional deputy inspector general of police now posted in the Criminal Investigation Department.
Upon completing the task, the commission will submit reports to the government with recommendations for taking legal actions against the culprits.
Talking to The Daily Star, Shahidul Islam said besides over 1,000 allegations already filed they received many allegations over telephone while several hundred people came to the commission in person to lodge complaints.
According to the 2003 report of United Nations High Commission for Refugees, an unknown number of Hindus and members of other religious minority communities in Bangladesh either remained internally displaced or sought asylum in India as a result of post-election violence.