Waliullah Emran, Barguna

In Purba Dhupati Monsatoli village of Barguna Sadar Upazila, a helpless family faced an attack, vandalism, looting, and threats to their female members during the construction of their homestead. The victim family held a press conference to raise these allegations, demanding legal action against the influential perpetrators and accountability for police inaction.

The press conference was held at the Barguna Press Club auditorium, where Ayesha Lima, a college student and member of the victim family, presented a written statement on Friday evening. 

In the press conference, Ayesha Lima stated that they purchased land from a person named Bellat in Purba Supti Monsatoli village, Barguna Sadar Upazila, and began construction of their homestead in February. At that time, a local influential figure named Khalil, accompanied by police, halted their construction work and instructed both parties to visit the police station with land documents in the evening. Although the family attended the police station as directed, the opposing party did not show up. Instead, they gathered a group of people, vandalized the under-construction house, looted valuable materials, and snatched four lakh taka withdrawn from the bank.

Ayesha Lima alleged that when they informed the police that night, no action was taken. The next morning, two suspects were detained, but Khalil’s elder son, Suman Sheikh, who serves in the army, and Md. Rasel, son of Ashraf Ali, used the influence of a colonel-rank officer to secure their release with the help of the navy around midnight. When the family sought justice by approaching the Additional Superintendent of Police in Barguna, he assigned a sub-inspector to investigate and instructed them to resume construction. However, due to heavy rainfall, work was paused for a few days, during which the perpetrators began threatening the family, including threats of gang rape against the mother and daughters. When the issue was reported to the Sadar UNO, he conducted an investigation, summoned Khalil and his sons, and issued a written warning. On July 1, while Ayesha and her sister were away for exams, the perpetrators intimidated their mother, who was alone at home, and attacked again, looting rods, cement, and other construction materials. When Ayesha’s father, Abul Kalam, filed a petition at Sadar Police Station, the police did not accept the complaint and acted in a mysterious manner.

During the press conference, Ayesha Lima demanded that the safety and ownership of their legally purchased land be ensured, legal action be taken against those responsible for the repeated attacks and looting, an investigation into the police’s inaction and biased behavior, the family’s safety be guaranteed, and the threats against female members be taken seriously. She also called for an investigation into the administrative negligence or conspiracy behind suppressing their written complaints.

It was learnt that Md. Abul Kalam (40), son of the late Hashem Sheikh from Purba Dhupati village, filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, naming nine individuals as accused, along with 5-6 unidentified persons. The accused are: 1. Md. Khalilur Rahman (54), s/o late Hashem Sheikh; 2. Zakaria (30), 3. Md. Suman (32), 4. Md. Yasir (28), all s/o Md. Khalilur Rahman; 5. Md. Hasan (31), s/o Md. Ashraf Sheikh; 6. Md. Ashraf Sheikh (58), s/o late Hashem Sheikh; 7. Md. Miraz Payda (30), s/o Faruk Payda; 8. Md. Mamun Panchayet (37), s/o Idris Panchayet; 9. Md. Abul Bashar (33), s/o Md. Ponu Sheikh, all residents of Purba Dhupati, Ward No. 9, Gourichanna Union Parishad No. 2, Barguna district.

Present at the press conference on behalf of the victim family were Md. Abul Kalam, college student Hafsa Akter Chandni, and the land seller Bellat, among others.