Midnight attack and looting alleged at war-crimes witness's home and shop in Shalla, Sunamganj; at least five injured

An attack, vandalism and looting have been alleged at the home and shop of a witness in a case over crimes against humanity committed in 1971, in remote Daulatpur village of Shalla upazila in Sunamganj.

The incident took place at midnight on Thursday (October 29) in Daulatpur village. At least five people were reported injured in the attack.

Confirming the incident, Shalla Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Sohel said police visited the scene and collected evidence of the attack and vandalism. The victims were advised to file a case, but the filing was delayed somewhat because the injured were taken to hospital.

Members of the victim's family allege that a group of people carrying local weapons attacked Dulal Mia's house and shop at midnight. Extensive vandalism was carried out at the house and shop, and belongings were looted.

Dulal Mia's father, Mamud Ali, was martyred during the Liberation War in 1971. The family claims seven of their relatives were martyred in the war. Dulal Mia gave a deposition as a witness to the investigation agency in a 1971 crimes-against-humanity case in 2016. In that case, the investigation agency recorded the testimony of 32 witnesses and submitted a report of about 150 pages.

According to the case record, on December 29, 2019, five people from Daulatpur village, including Tota Tailors and Jalil Mia, were arrested in the crimes-against-humanity case. They were later released on bail after spending a long time in prison. They had been charged with killing 34 people, raping five women, abducting 31 people, torturing 14 people, and carrying out arson and looting at 30 houses in 1971.

Dulal Mia's daughter, Ujjwala Akter, alleged that the family has long been living in fear because her father is a witness in that case.

She said her father, Dulal Mia, and her husband, Helal Mia, together run a shop in the village. A theft took place at the shop on October 23. After the matter was reported to Shalla Police Station, police went to the village on October 29 to investigate. At that time, an argument took place with some people over why the police had come to the village, she alleged.

Ujjwala claims that after the police left, a group of 15 to 20 people led by Jalal Mia, a relative of an accused in the war crimes case, attacked their house and shop at midnight. Among the accused, she named Tofazzal Mia, Shahin Mia, Hekim Moral, Sultan, Razzak, Tarek, Shamim and Nur Islam, among others.

Ujjwala alleged that four fridges, six cows, two bhori of gold jewellery and Tk 400,000 in cash were looted in the attack. Various items of the dwelling house and the shop were also vandalised, she said.

Ujjwala further alleged that the attackers beat three women members of the family — Fatema Begum, Farida Begum and Rokeya Begum — and attempted to sexually assault them. She also claimed that she and her 12-year-old daughter were threatened with sexual violence. The injured were later taken to hospitals in Dirai and Shalla.

Dulal Mia's wife, Fatema Begum, said the accused are influential, and their family has long been subjected to torture and harassment. Belongings were looted from the house in Thursday night's attack. Her husband, Dulal Mia, has been missing since the incident, she said.

Dulal Mia's son-in-law, Helal Mia, said that on receiving news of the attack, he went to the village from Sunamganj and found the belongings of the house and shop looted. He claimed no male member was at home at the time of the incident.

Moktadir Ahmad, a doctor at the emergency department of Shalla Upazila Health Complex, said three women and a child from Daulatpur village came to the hospital injured and received treatment.

Meanwhile, accused Jalal Mia was contacted several times on his mobile phone for comment on the allegations, but he did not respond.

OC Mohammad Sohel said police went to the village for an investigation during the day on Thursday and an argument took place with some people. Later at night, the attack and vandalism occurred. Police are investigating the matter, he said.