Anybody can do it at anytime

This time a boy in a drunken stupor torched at least 10 houses of Dalit Hindus at the wee hours of yesterday in Dinajpur. Seven houses belonging to Dalits, or scheduled castes, and three belonging to local Hindus were torched during the brutal arson attack at Harijan Palli, or sweeper colony, under Bochaganj upazila in the district. The boy, Jewel, was caught red handed by the dwellers of the houses around 3am yesterday along with matchbox and other torching equipments, the Harijans alleged. “He offered us Tk60,000 to let him go scot free, but we handed him over to police,” they said, adding that Jewel had masterminded the attack as a sequel to a previous conflict with some sweepers of the Harijan Palli. A case was filed by Rubel Bashfor, a member of Harijan community, in this connection with Bochaganj police station yesterday against two named accused including Jewel and four other anonymous persons. During a spot visit this correspondent found the members of the affected families living under open sky. They said that they lost everything in the fire. The Harijans alleged that Jewel had damaged the Puja pavilion of the Harijon community also during the Durga Puja in October. “At that time, we sought explanation and demanded compensation from him. The following day, he again engaged into an altercation with another Harijon community member at the station area of Setabganj.” “At that time, Jewel threatened to kill us and torch our houses. We then handed him over to police and police arrested Jewel and sent him to jail,” the minority Harijans said. Few days ago Jewel came out from jail and threatened the Harijans again of dire consequences. The Harijans said Jewel’s father Aiyub Ali was a pickpocket in India, but now he is a Bochaganj upazila ward-level BNP leader. He is a councilor of ward no. 7 of Setabgonj Municipal Corporation. Jewel’s step mother Anwara Begom is also a councilor of that ward. The local people have many allegations against Jewel including stealing motorbikes and hijacking. Jewel’s father Aiyub Ali is now in India for treatment. Contacted over the phone, he told the Dhaka tribune: “I divorced Jewel’s mother and he does not live with me. We do not like him for the unlawful activities he commits regularly.” Jewel’s step mother Anwara Begam told the Dhaka tribune: “When we won the election some people falsely alleged that my husband was a pickpocket in India which is totally wrong. But Jewel is now out of control. We are trying to convince him to leave committing crimes, but in vain.” Contacted, Bochaganj police station officer-in-charge Habibul Haq Prodhan said: “A case was filed with police station by Rubel Basfore against two named including Jewel and four other anonymous persons. We have applied to the court for a 5-day remand, and court granted one-day remand.” “We have already got some names and information regarding this matter. We are scrutinising the information. We are still investigating and trying to arrest the other named accused,” the OC said. Setabganj Municipal Corporation Mayor Abdus Sabur told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have heard that Jewel led the arson attack. But I am not sure. The truth will come out in time through investigation.” Demanding justice for the Harijans, the mayor said: “We are helping the victims. We gave them different types of reliefs including house making materials.” Meanwhile, Bochaganj upazila administration yesterday gave each of the affected families 30kg of rice, blankets, saree and lungi. UNO Shilabrat Karmakar said that they would distribute cash and tin sheets among the victims soon.