NHRC chief: Attacks on Hindus, Santals’ eviction violate human rights

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque has said the recent attacks on Hindus and eviction of Santals were both violations of the minority groups' human rights. “The administration completely mishandled the acquisition of the land. This was not the right way to evict the Santals living there,” the NHRC chairman said of the Gaibandha incident at the launch of a corporate T20 cricket tournament at Dhaka Residential Model College ground on Friday morning. On November 6, Gobindaganj upazila administration evicted around 2,000 families from their ancestral land of 15 villages in Sahebganj-Bagda Sugar Mill area in Gaibandha district. “The way they were forced was clearly a human rights violation, where the local chairman, who himself had helped the Santals to get settled there, was present at the time of attack,” the NHRC chairman added. Three Santal men died and at least 30 others were injured as they protested the eviction carried out by the police and RAB members. The local Bangalis, allegedly loyal to the local lawmaker, were invited to take part in the eviction through loudspeakers. They looted the houses before burning them to ashes. They also attacked the Santal houses the following day. Separately, Hindus came under attack on October 30, when an unruly mob equipped with sharp weapons went berserk and demolished a number of temples and nearly 100 houses in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria following a rumour of a Facebook post demeaning the Holy Kaaba. The NHRC chairman also termed the Nasirnagar violence another incident of a violation of human rights, where he claimed the local MP of ruling Awami League was involved.