What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
In the coastal subdistrict of Shyamnagar in Satkhira, a quiet but deeply troubling story unfolded last week, one that highlights concerns about the security of minority communities and the protection of democratic rights in parts of rural Bangladesh.
On the morning of February 28, nearly three hundred Hindu women had gathered outside the Shyamnagar Upazila Press Club to form a human chain. Standing shoulder to shoulder for nearly two hours under the winter sun, they held placards and called for the right to live safely on their ancestral land and exercise their democratic rights without intimidation.
The demonstration was led by community organizer Pratima Rani Haldar of Chandipur village. Women from several nearby villages joined the protest, saying they had faced increasing pressure and threats in the days surrounding the country’s 13th national parliamentary election.
“We are citizens of this country like everyone else,” Haldar said while addressing the gathering. “All we want is the right to live peacefully on our land and to vote without fear.”
Several speakers, including Hena Rani Mondal, Sushila Rani Mondal, Sumitra Rani Mondal, Sudha Rani Mondal, and Parul Mondal described what they said was a pattern of intimidation that began shortly before the election.
According to community members, tensions rose on February 10, two days before the vote, when several local political leaders of the Bangladesh National Party accompanied by local strongmen had allegedly warned members of the community against approaching polling stations. The women claimed that messages were delivered through intermediaries urging them either not to vote or to cast their ballots for a particular electoral symbol.
“We were told that going to the polling center could bring trouble for our families,” said one participant, who asked that her name not be published for security reasons.
Residents say the situation worsened after a video circulating on social media appeared to show threats directed at members of the community. The footage reportedly angered some of those accused in the video, leading to further warnings and alleged threats of damage to homes and property.
Community members said they later attempted to file a general diary with the local police station seeking protection. However, they claim tensions in the area increased following the complaint.
The protesters also raised concerns about what they described as repeated attempts to seize the jomstead land of Paritosh Mondal, a resident whose property has reportedly been involved in a long-running legal dispute. According to villagers, groups of young men led by local politicians of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party keep periodically entering the area, issuing threats and attempting to create an atmosphere of fear.
Efforts were made to contact those accused in the allegations for comment, but they could not be reached.
Local police officials also did not immediately respond to requests for clarification regarding the complaint filed by residents.
For the women who gathered at the human chain, the protest was not only about a single incident or election period but about the broader question of security and equal rights.
“We have lived here for generations,” said another protester. “We are not asking for special treatment. All of us only want to live safely and protect our homes.”
At the end of the demonstration, participants called for legal action against those responsible for intimidation and urged authorities to ensure protection for minority communities in the area.
They also appealed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to intervene and ensure the safety of their lives and property, saying that the ability to vote and live without fear remains a fundamental expectation of citizenship.
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