Trial for communal attacks hasn’t started even after a year

The wounds of the attacks on mandaps (pandals), temples, homes and businesses of the Hindu community at different places across the country a year ago, centering the desecration of the Holy Quran, have not healed yet.

The cases filed in connection to these attacks haven’t gone to trial yet. There’s discontentment about this among the Hindu community. Amidst this, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, Sharadiya Durga Puja is starting this Saturday.

In the incident of attacks, vandalism and arson centering desecration of Holy Quran at a mandap (pandal) in Cumilla on 13 October last year, an assurance of taking measures after finding out the miscreants was given from the top level of the government. However, that hasn’t happened.

In fact, despite almost a year having passed since the incident, the trial process hasn’t started yet. In total 54 cases were lodged in connection to the attacks in Cumilla, Noakhali and Chandpur.

Of them, charge sheets have been submitted in 36 cases that include 24 out of 32 cases filed in Noakhali, 6 out of 12 in Cumilla and 6 out of 10 in Chandpur. The remaining 18 cases are still on the probe level. Meaning, investigation of 33 per cent of the cases hasn’t finished yet after a year of the incident.

When asked, Chandan Das, a cultural activist from Cumilla, told Prothom Alo, “Due to the culture of impunity, it still remains unknown who and why desecrated the Holy Quran at the puja Mandap. The trial not being started even after a year is saddening.”

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad said this year the puja will be celebrated at 32,168 Mandaps (pandal) across the country. This time the police have chalked out a three tiered security arrangement for the days before, after and during the puja.

A press release issued from the police headquarters recently stated that the police will install CCTV cameras at all the puja mandap (pandal) while metal detectors and archway gates will be set up at the entrances.

Meanwhile, social harmony gatherings have been organised at different places around the country at the initiative of the administration to celebrate the puja peacefully. Various government officials, NGO workers, businessmen, teachers and media persons including men and women of the Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist community are attending these gatherings.

At the initiative of Darpan Sangha, Durga Puja will be celebrated at Nanua Dighir Uttarpar in Cumilla city this time as well. The work of building a Mandap (pandal) for the occasion is almost at the final stage. The bamboo frame has already been installed. Now the decoration and painting work is going on.

Achintya Das Titu, president of the puja mandap and general secretary of Cumilla metropolitan Puja Udjapan Committee told Prothom Alo, “This year the puja will be celebrated amidst amped up security. We have installed powerful CCTV cameras. There will be 24 hours guard. Volunteers, Ansar and police personnel will take turns for that.”

Last minute preparations are on at Cumilla city’s Kandirpar Nazrul Avenue Katyani Kali Mandir temple too. The detailing of the paint work is being finished at the Maheshpur Radharani Mandir temple in Barura upazila as well.

Overcoming fear, Hindu community of Noakhali is also preparing to celebrate the puja. Last minute preparations are going on at the mandaps there. Visiting several temples at Chowmuhani area, known as the main venue of Durga puja celebration in the district on Thursday evening, it was seen that artisans had no time to catch their breath. Everyone was busy with the finishing touches of the decoration.

At the Radha Madhav Jiu Temple Complex on Chowmuhani Bank Road, artisan Gautam Pal was seen setting hair on the idol's head. He told Prothom Alo, idols for 25 puja Mandaps (pandal) in different upazilas of the district have been shaped in the complex. Some of the idols have already been transported to their respective temples. The rest were supposed to be taken to the temples by Friday, he added.

While talking to Prothom Alo, Madhusudan Bhowmik, president of Radha Madhav Jiu Temple said the wound that were created in their hearts by the violence at puja Mandaps (pandal) last year will not go away easily. However, they feel assured to celebrate the puja peacefully following various measures taken by the administration. That’s why there’s no lack of preparation on their part.

Binoy Kishore Roy, president of Hindu, Bouddha, Christian Oikya Parishad in Noakhali repeated the same. They have been reassured for the administration organising harmony gathering at different places recently.

Last year, following the incident in Cumilla a demonstration was brought out in Chandpur’s Hajiganj bazar area. Some temples and Mandaps (pandal) were attacked and vandalised in Hajiganj municipality as well as in the areas adjacent to the upazila then. When the agitators clashed with the police at Hajiganj Bazar, police opened fire on them. This killed three people on the spot while, two others died at hospital later.

At that same Hajiganj, preparations have been made to celebrate puja at 29 mandaps (pandal) this time. It has been learnt that, alongside organising harmony gathering the administration has strengthened security arrangements at the mandaps (pandal) for this.

Regarding the attacks, vandalism and arson at temples and Mandaps (pandal), 12 cases were lodged with four police stations in Cumilla last year. Charge sheets have been submitted at the court in only six of those cases. Investigation of four cases has been finished while the remaining two are undergoing investigation.

In six cases, charge sheets have been submitted in the name of 241 people. In this situation, there seems to be a suppressed discontent among the Hindu community. They have demanded for the trial to be started quickly.

According to police sources, a Holy Quran was recovered from the puja Mandap (pandal) organised by the Darpan Sangha on the occasion of Durga Puja in Cumilla city’s Nanua Dighir Uttarpar area on the morning of 13 October last year. Centering the incident, four temples and seven Mandaps (pandal) in the city were vandalised and set on fire, later on the same day. This injured 30 people at least.

One of those injured died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Apart from this, there were incidents of idols vandalism and cocktail explosions at Sadar South, Debidwar and Daudkandi areas of the district. 12 cases were filed later in connection to these incidents.

Six of these 12 cases are being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Charge sheets have been submitted in five of the cases. Out of the four cases being investigated by Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), charge sheet has been submitted in only one case. Meanwhile, charge sheets haven’t been submitted yet in either of the two cases being investigated by police.

When asked, superintendent of police in Cumilla Md Abdul Mannan told Prothom Alo that investigation of the two cases filed with Kotwali model police station has been completed and the charge sheets are ready. After getting administrative approval from the police headquarters, the charge sheets will be submitted at the court, he added.

Of the 32 cases filed in connection to the attacks, vandalism, looting and two deaths at the puja mandaps (pandal) of Noakhali on 14 and 15 October last year, charge sheets have been submitted to the court in 24 cases.

Investigation of seven cases being investigated by CID is on the final stage. Apart from this, out of the ten cases being investigated by district police, investigation of one case is yet to be completed.

Charge sheets have been submitted in six cases out of ten, filed in Hajiganj of Chandpur. Chandpur Additional Superintendent of Police Additional superintendent of police in Chandpur, Sudipta Roy told Prothom Alo, police have already submitted charge sheets in two of these cases, DB police in two cases, CID and PBI in one case each. However, four of the cases are still undergoing investigation. Charge sheets of these cases will be submitted soon.

Shrugging off the disappointment, Noakhali Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad president Binoy Kishore Roy however spoke of hope. While talking to Prothom Alo on Thursday evening, he said that adequate law enforcement agency personnel have been deployed at each of the mandaps (pandal). There has been no concern with security so far. He added they have taken preparations for the puja to be a good celebration this year.