Harvest rest of paddy for Santals

HC asks Gaibandha sugar mill authorities

Staff Correspondent

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to harvest paddy from another 15 acres of Rangpur Sugar Mills land in next 15 days for Santals in Gaibandha's Gobindaganj as the crop was grown by them.

The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath passed the order after accepting a report from Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation in this regard.

The report, prepared by the management of the sugar mill, said the authorities already harvested paddy from 34 acres and gave the crop to Santals, Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Sazu told The Daily Star.

The paddy on 15 acres is yet to ripen and it would take about 15 days to harvest the crop, added the report.

DAG Sazu said the Gaibandha deputy commissioner submitted another report to the court stating that a committee led by Additional District Magistrate Mizanur Rahman was formed to ascertain under what circumstances the law enforcers had used arms during the November 6 clash with Santals.

In another report to the HC, the Gaibandha superintendent of police and the officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj Police Station said two cases and a general diary were filed in connection with the November 6 incident. Besides, 23 people have been arrested so far in the cases.

The reports were filed with the HC in compliance with its November 17 order that directed the government to ensure security and free movement of Santals.

Responding to a writ petition filed by three rights organisations, the court had asked the authorities concerned to allow Santal families to harvest the paddy and to submit a report to it within 10 days on the legal steps taken over the attack.    

Yesterday, the HC fixed December 5 for passing a further order on the issue.

Meanwhile, Gobindaganj Santal community leaders alleged that the mill authorities wasted paddy while harvesting crop with machines.

“The mill authorities said Santals planted crop on 45.5 acres, but in fact they planted aman seedlings in around 100 acres,” said Philimon Baske, a leader of Sugar Mill Land Recovery Committee.

Had the mill authorities allowed Santal labourers to harvest paddy manually, there would have been no wastage, he added.

“The Santal community will work together for husking, boiling and drying the paddy. The rice will be distributed among Santal families,” said Rafayel Hasda, another leader of the committee.

Philimon said although the situation in Santal villages of Madarpur and Joypurpara was largely normal now, the indigenous people were still living in fear.

Criminals looted valuables from some Santal houses in those villages early on November 7, a day after the indigenous community came under attack during an eviction drive at Shahebganj sugarcane farm.

“We thank voluntary and socio-culture organisations for extending help and support to us in time of need, but our main demand for rehabilitation on the sugarcane farm's land is still unmet,” Philimon told The Daily Star yesterday.

He doubted whether the FIR filed by a Santal last week would be converted into a regular case.

OC Subrata Kumar Sarkar of Gobindaganj Police Station said they were probing the FIR filed by Thomas Hembrom.

Abdul Awal, managing director of Rangpur Sugar Mills, said the mill would start crushing sugarcane on December 9. It has set a target of producing 3,900 tonnes of sugar by crushing 60,000 tonnes of sugarcane.

Meanwhile, Gobindaganj Krira Sangstha O Kheloar Kalyan Parishad staged demonstrations in the upazila town yesterday protesting filing of the FIR which contained the name of Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Abul Kalam Azad.

A procession by the demonstrators paraded different streets in the town. They chanted slogans demanding the lawmaker's name be dropped from the FIR.

The protesters blocked Bogra-Rangpur highway at Chathuranga crossing point from noon to around 1:00pm, causing traffic gridlock on the road.

In Chunarughat of Habiganj, indigenous people accompanied by Santals and civil society members formed a human chain in Chandpur point area around 11:00am yesterday, protesting the attack on Santals.

The programme was organised under the banner of “Habiganj District Santals and Tea Workers”.

Speakers at the programme said Santals became victims of a joint attack by Gobindaganj Awami League leaders, the administration and the police.

Our correspondents in Gaibandha and Moulvibazar contributed to this report.