Gaibandha Correspondent
Various threats from the local chairman have created a new wave of fear in Santal Palli of Gobindaganj Upazila of Gaibandha. The residents of the village are worried about their safety.
Rafiqul Islam, the chairman of Rajahar Union in the upazila, has been threatening and threatening to get the Santals involved in the case after he was recently released on bail. He was arrested in Dhaka on January 8 for beating up and setting fire to a house of a Santal woman, Philumina Hasda, from Baratta (Adivasipara) village in Rajabirat area of the union. BNP also expelled him from the party over the incident.
The president of the Sahebganj-Bagdafarm Land Rescue Committee, Philemon Bas, alleged that on January 3, Sundar Mandal's wife Philomina Hasda (52) and her family were attacked, beaten and set on fire by Union Parishad Chairman and Union BNP Joint Editor Rafiqul Islam over a land dispute. In this incident, Philomon Hasda's eldest son Julius Soren filed a case against Chairman Rafiqul and six others as the plaintiff. Due to this, Rafiqul Islam was expelled from BNP on January 5. Meanwhile, Rafiqul Islam hid his body after the case was filed. Later, on January 8, the police arrested him from Dhaka. The next day, he was sent to jail through the court.
After spending almost a month in jail, Chairman Rafiqul was released on bail on February 5. Since his release on bail, the chairman and his people have been issuing various threats to the Santals, including the plaintiffs in the case.
Victim Brittish Soren said, "Since coming out on bail, the chairman has been conspiring against the local Santals to take revenge. After poisoning the fish in his pond, he is trying to file a conspiracy case by blaming Philomina Hasdar's family. In addition, his people are threatening us innocent Santals in various ways at different times. As a result, we Santals are living in extreme insecurity. I hope the administration will take effective measures to protect the Santals."
In this regard, the accused chairman Rafiqul Islam said, such allegations against him are completely false. I am the guardian of the union, I do not have a bad personal relationship with anyone. I complained to the police station about the killing of fish in the pond, I did not file a case mentioning anyone's name.
Gobindaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Bulbul Islam said in this regard that Chairman Rafiqul Islam complained to the police station about the killing of fish in the pond, but no case was filed against anyone (the Santals).
