Hindu college girl Ritu Parna Mistry, aged 18, was kidnapped on 8th June 2017 at about 5.10 pm by perpetrators and she has been forcefully converted to Islam says minority watchdog Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW).
Her conversion has been sealed after a swearing affidavit was submitted on 8th June at the Morrelganj Upazila of Bagerhat district, Bangladesh. The daily “Bangladesh Protidin” dated 9th July 2017 also carried the news.
Hindu boy who was stripped by radicals to know his religion still awaits justice
Bangladesh Minority Watch released the names of the perpetrators and all of them belong to Ambaria Village, Morrelganj Police Station, District Bagerhat.
The perpetrators identified by the minority watchdog are Md. Parvez Sheikh (22), Md. Mamun Sheikh (25), Md. Masud Sheikh (28), Faruk Sheikh (55) and Ms. Monira Begum (48).
After failing to recover Ritu, her father under section 7/30 of Women and Children Repression Act,2003 (Amended) filed a case for her recovery but with no success.
As per the statement of Shekhor Chandra Mistry, the father of the victim Hindu girl, on the date of abduction, his daughter, and his wife were doing shopping at Kalibari Bazar. Later when they were returning home, the perpetrators took her away on the northern side of the Kalibari Bazar. Mother of the victim tried to push the kidnappers away but she failed and they allegedly carried Ritu to Chittagong District for “forceful swearing affidavit by a Notary public on 8th June 2017” says BDMW.
April: The month when the Hindu Temples were targeted across the world
BDMW Team comprising of Rabindra Nath Baral, Tilok Halder and Samir Halder visited the spot on 9th June 2017 and went to the house of the victim. They also inquired about how the victim Hindu girl was kidnapped.
The mother and father of the victim requested BDMW team in the recovering of their daughter.
Later, the BDMW team also visited the police station on 11.06.2017 and obtained the copy of F.I.R. for helping the victim’s parents.
The team also communicated with Md. Rashedul Islam, Officer in Charge of Morrelganj police station over phone and he requested the team to communicate with another officer Md. Khan Masud Rana who said that the victim has not yet been recovered nor have they arrested any of the named perpetrators.
Mandana Karimi alleges that she was forced to convert to Hinduism!
BDMW team later met with Md. Obaidur Rahaman- Upazila Nirbahi Officer (Magistrate ) who stated that the victim girl went with the perpetrators with her own choice and as such the legal guardian should not interfere with the legal marriage with a Muslim boy.
However, BDMW has recommended that:
1) The victim Hindu girl should be rescued urgently and also be produced before the court for verification of the concocted documents which could have been manufactured by the perpetrators.
2) The perpetrators if found guilty for kidnapping and forceful conversion to Islam should be arrested for punishment as per law of Bangladesh.
Hindu girl’s face disfigured with knives and iron pipe
3) Upazila Nirbahi Officer ( being a Magistrate) should not utter such words without ensuring truth in the matter.
4) BDMW also said that “the affidavit (marriage documents) sworn in by the Notary Public on the next day of kidnapping from Bagerhat to Chittagong on 8th June,17, is far from the truth and be investigated for revealing truthfulness.”
5)The perpetrators responsible for creating forged documents of marriage should be punished.
