The Bihari community is suffering from a great sense of insecurity as people loyal to Jalaluddin Bhantu, chairperson of Kurmitola Relief Committee, are threatening them with dire consequences.
The threat allegedly came after the Bihari people took a stand against the committee chairperson.
On June 21, a group of people led by “Napak” Raju allegedly set fire to the house of Said in Purbo Kurmitola Camp, commonly known as Raju Basti.
Riaz Uddin Ahmed, senior vice-president of Bangladeshi Bihari Rehabilitation Assembly of Kurmitola Branch blamed Bhantu chairman’s men for the arson attack saying: “If police arrest and take him on remand then the truth will come out.
“Bhantu's men are continuously threatening us to withdraw the case against the chairman. Although lawmaker Elias Mollah told us to sit together to solve the matter we will not do so without the presence of the lawmaker himself.”
Riaz said they cannot even believe people of their own community. “We are feeling insecure. It has been long 22 days since the electricity was cut off.”
Said whose house was set on fire, participated in a procession against the chairman on Friday, the day before the incident, demanding smooth supply of electricity and water.
Said filed a general dairy with Pallabi police station in connection on Monday.
“We were fast asleep. My son Hira,12, first realised that our house was on fire and he began to scream. I saw the fire burning my house to ashes. The fire burnt my child’s hand and damaged my property worth Tk10,000-Tk12,000.”
Said said he kept the door of his house open the night it was set on fire as there was no electricity.
Neaz Ahmed Khan, the chief patron of the Bangladeshi Bihari Rehabilitation Assembly, blamed the chairman for the fire too. Most of the people in the camp alleged that they were fed up with the extortion in the name of the relief committee.
“The chairman has around 8-10 thugs in every camp who are involved in criminal activities. The chairman also protects the drug peddlers in the camp,” he alleged.
Recently, the people in the camp have submitted a complaint to the deputy commissioner urging him to cancel the committee as “it is not helping them in any way”.
The complaint submitted to the deputy commissioner labels Bhantu as the most corrupt person in the committee.
Earlier, the camp members submitted another letter of complaint to the deputy commissioner requesting him to cancel the chairmanship of Bhantu and arrest him immediately.
Bihari people also blamed Bhantu for creating conflict between Biharis and Bangalees.
Jalaluddin Bhantu however said: “We are trying to come to a mutual understanding. None of the allegations against me is true. But, truth will be revealed one day.”