Dhaka – The High Court (HC) on Wednesday directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Gaibandha investigate to dig out whether police had any involvement in setting fire to the houses of Santal community during the eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila.
A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath passed the order asking the Chief Judicial Magistrate to submit the report with 15 days.Earlier in the morning, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) filed a supplementary petition attaching some national and international media reports and images, where police are seen to set fire to a house, seeking the court order to carry out an investigation to identify the arson attackers.
The court also directed the police to conduct the investigation giving the two cases — filed on November 17 and 26 against 600 people and 33 people respectively over the same issue — same status.
It instructed the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Rangpur Range to give the charge of the investigation to a senior officer of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) under the supervision of a police official not lower than the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP).
On November 26, a case was filed against 33 people, including a ruling party MP, upazila nirbahi officer, managing director of Rangpur Sugar Mill and officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj police station, in connection with the attack on Santal people in Gobindaganj upazila.
Chhomas Hembrom, a member of the indigenous community, filed the case with the help of three human rights organizations– ‘Nijera Kori’, ‘Ain o Salish Kendra’ and Blast (Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust).
Awami League MP of Gaibandha-4 Abul Kalam Azad, UNO Abdul Hannan, MD of the sugar mill Abdul Awal, OC Subrata Kumar Sarkar and 29 other people were made accused in the case filed after 20 days of the incident.
On November 17, Swapan Murmu, a member of the community, filed a case against 600 people in connection with the attack. – UNB
