Arrest all attackers

The High Court yesterday directed the government to take appropriate steps immediately to arrest the persons accused of assaulting and disgracing Lalon devotees at Char Ramnagar under Pangsha upazila in Rajbari.
In response to a writ petition, a vacation bench of the HC also ordered the authorities concerned to protect the victims from the self-appointed saviours of religion, and to submit a compliance report to it within seven days.
Some local fanatics and influential people forcibly shaved off the long hair and moustaches of 28 Lalon devotees, and also assaulted them during a Baul Mela (Devotees Fair) at Fakir Mohammad Ali Shah's house at Char Ramnagar on April 5.
Fakir Mohammad Ali, one of the victims, on April 10 filed a case with Pangsha Police Station against 13 people, stating that the accused also forced them (devotees) utter 'tawba' (confession of guilt) at a local mosque and forbade them to follow Lalon.
The bench of Justice Syed Mohammad Ziaul Karim and Justice ANM Bashirullah yesterday also issued a rule upon the government to explain within four weeks why it should not be directed to take steps to protect the right to religion of the Lalon devotees.
In the rule, the court also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to protect the devotees' freedom of thought and conscience, and of speech; and freedom of religion which are guaranteed in the constitution.
Following newspaper reports on the incident, Dr Begum Rezina Banu, a teacher of Rajbari Mahangar College, yesterday filed the writ petition with the HC, seeking its directives on the authorities concerned to take steps to arrest the accused and to protect the rights of the Lalon devotees.