These people belonging to Hindu community at Shafinagar village in Bawra union of Patgram upazila under Lalmonirhat district are visibly worried on the eve of today’s upazila parishad election, as the minority people fell victim to several attacks by Jamaat and BNP men before and after the January 5 national elections. PHOTO: STAR
A good number of Hindu voters in Patgram upazila under the district are still uncertain about casting their votes in today’s upazila election as activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami attacked the people of the minority community before and after the January 5 national polls.
Meanwhile, alleged leaders of the attackers, district Jamaat member Abu Hena Md Ershad Hossain and Surah member of the organisation Ataur Rahman are contesting as chairman and vice chairman candidates in the upazila.
“BNP-Jamaat men attacked the business centres, houses, even temples of the Hindus at different villages of Patgram upazila before and after the January 5 election. Now we are too afraid to cast our votes in tomorrow’s [Thursday] upazila election,” said Narayan Chandra Ghosh of Ghospara village of the upazila.
“We will not go out from house on the upazila election day, as we are under watch of a group of people. They will take revenge if their chosen candidates fail to win the polls,” said Narayani Rani Sen of Senpara village.
“Candidates from BNP, Jamaat, even Awami League blame Hindu voters when they fail to win. Ruling Awami League men hardly came to our help when we were attacked earlier,” said Nirmol Chandra Sen at Shafinagar village of the upazila.
Nitai Chandra Ghosh, a leader of the Hindu community in Patgram, said at least 15 percent of the total 1,31,968 voters in the upazila are Hindus but people of the minority community are passing time amid worry as they may face fresh attack centring the polls.
In the upazila, five candidates are contesting for the upazila chairman post, four for vice chairmanship and two for the seat of the vice chairman reserved for women.