Chief Justice has aid distributed to Santals

On behalf of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, the SC Registrar General visited Gaibandha and spoke with the affected members of the Santal community. Registrar General Syed Aminul Islam said: “The Supreme Court has a small budget, but we will provide any assistance to the best of our abilities. The 178 evicted Santal families were each given Tk10,000 in cash. The families of Shyamol Hembrom and Mangal Mardi, who were killed in the attack, received cheques of Tk1lakh. They also received 300 blankets to make it through the winter. “The chief justice is sincerely concerned about the victims of communal violence. Although his duties prevent him from coming, I am here as his representative and will advise him based on what I have seen today,” Aminul said. Registrar General Syed Aminul addressed the Santals in a church square in Madarpur . Many of the Santals from Gobindaganj fled to the neighbouring villages of Madarpur and Joypurpara after the attacks. He was accompanied by Supreme Court Additional Registrar General Jahid Hossain, Gaibandha District Judge Rasheda Sultana, Chief Judicial Magistrate-in-Charge Moinul Hasan Yousuf, Gaibandha Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Mizanur Rahman, Gobindaganj Senior Judicial Magistrate ASM Taskinul Hoque and Senior Assistant Superintendent of police Rezanur Rahman. On November 6, Rangpur Sugar Mill authorities carried out an armed eviction drive with the assistance of local politicos, police, Rab, and some Bangalis. Scores of Santals were injured, four killed, and hundreds of Santal families fled their ancestral homes. Their villages were burnt to the ground, by the direct involvement of the police, as evident in a video footage.