They claimed it at a human chain at Gopalganj Press Club, Hindu community members from Mochra village of Haridaspur Union
Hindu community members in Gopalganj have alleged that local Awami League men have been demanding extortions from some families and issuing death threats when they refuse to pay.
At a human chain at Gopalganj Press Club, Hindu community members from Mochra village of Haridaspur Union said they had been living there for many years peacefully but for the last two years, union Awami League General Secretary Jahangir Mollah and his men had been trying to grab their property.
“Recently one of our neighbours, Uzzal Kumar, left Bangladesh and Jahangir extorted Tk88,000 from his father Upendranath saying his son had borrowed the money. Later, he demanded Tk22,000 from me and threatened to throw me out of the country if I did not pay,” said Nityananda Biswas, a resident of the area.
He alleged that Awami League men had also threatened to kill him and his family members. Later the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police’s office.
Union Awami League General Secretary Jahangir Mollah denied the allegations and said Uzzal had in fact, owed him money. “He left the country without paying me back,” he said.
“Nityananda also owes me Tk20,000,”he added. “When I asked them to pay back, they declined and organised this human chain,” Mollah said.
Attacks continue across the country
Miscreants set at least seven houses belonging to Hindu families on fire at Uttar Dhemsha union of Satkania upazila in Chittagong early yesterday.
No casualty or injuries were reported in the attack. Police had no clue about the identity of the criminals at the time this report was filed. Md Khaled Hossain, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Satkania police station, said police was looking into the matter.
The OC said no one had lodged any complaint with the police station in this connection.
Local and police sources said miscreants torched houses belonging to Amal Das, Nirmal Das, Sumir Das, Amar Das, Narayan Das, Haradhan Das and Dipak Das of Muhuri Bari around 2am.
Palash Sen, a local of the area, said five of the families did not live in the houses and the residents had cast their votes in the national election.
Mohammad Shahadat, the station officer of Satkania Fire Station, said they had extinguished the fire within one-and-half hour of reaching the spot and the estimated damage was Tk4 lakh.
Miscreants vandalised five idols of a temple at Shibchar Upazila of Madaripur early yesterday.
The incident at Shibchar took place sometime in the early hours. The attackers ransacked the Horishava Temple at Pachchar area. In the morning local Hindus found the idols vandalised, said Assistant Superintendent of Police Abu Bakar Siddique.