Gruesome Murder of Bijoy Shil at Shibpur  

 Continued -- Investigative report from HRCBM

We, started for Shibpur Union at about 2 p.m. on 9 April,2003 from Nabinagar P.S with one police constable and reached Shibpur within two hours partly by boat and partly by Riskshaw. In the meantime the widow and his two sons along with her brother-in-law- Kamal Shil were waiting for us. We saw 100 to 150 villagers irrespective of caste and creed assembled to tell us that the assailants not only murdered Bijoy Shil but also injured several others those who wanted to resist them. The injured persons are as follows:

 1. Kamal Chandra Shil son of Late Makhan Ch.Shil

2. Rina Rani Shil

3. Serajul Islam son of late Md. Chand Meah

4. Abul Kalam Azad    son of late Imam Hossain

5. Kamal Chandra Deb son of late Kamini Ch.Deb

6. Bimal chandra Deb son of late Kamini Ch.Deb

7. Abul Kashem son of late Hajee Mulkat Ali

8. Ripon Chandra Deb son of Sawdesh Ch.Deb

9. Abul Kalam son of late Abdul Motalib

10.Ashraful Hossain son of Abu Bakar

11.Nirapada Ch.Biswas son of late Amulla Ch.Biswas

 All the above persons admitted the fact and described to us how Bijoy was attacked and how he has been shot dead by Ex.Chairman - Mansur and his son Polash in a broad daylight. And we have been given to understand by some eyewitnesses that as the terrorists suffered imprisonment due to criminal case filed by Sadhu Shil, eldest brother of Bijoy on 26.06.2001 in Nabinagar P.S. for rape and repression in Nabinagar P.s. case No.13 dated 25.06.2001, the terrorists with common object killed Bijoy for ever.

Picture: HRCBM volunteers taking interviews of the wife of an assailants their Shibpur home. The wife of the miscreants confessed about the murder of Bijoy Shil which was allegedly done by her husband.

Picture: HRCBM volunteers Discussing the murder of Bijoy Shil and other pending cases with the Sub Inspector of Nabinagar police station.

Picture: Villagers gathered and interviewed by HRCBM leaders during investigation.

Appeal to Home Minister of Bangladesh

 Pradwip @ Sadhu Shil on behalf of "Shil" family of Shibpur Union submitted an appeal requesting for their protection, safety and security to the Home Miniter of Bangladesh forwarding copies to the Inspector-General of Police,Dhaka on 09.09.2002 duly recommended by Kazi Md.Anwar Hossain, local Member of Parliament. But it is strange that due to implicit silence and total negligence of the administration the brutal murder of Bijoy facilitated the entire bad elements in the locality to commit such offence against the minorities in particular.

Press Conference by Shil Family in Brahmanbaria

Thereafter Sanjib Kumar Shil hold a press conference in Brahmanbaria Press Club demanding punishment to the offenders and also against the repression upon them by the terrorists. All those allegations were published in the national dailies too, but it is very unfortunate that in spite of all endeavors to save their lives, Bijoy could not be saved and he had to give his life within the full knowledge of administration without any fault as because he protested against all sorts of torture and repression upon them in the locality.

Terrorists got bail from the High Court and killed Bijoy Shil on 20.2.2003

As soon as the terrorists got bail from the High Court in Criminal Appeal No.3745 of 2001 arising out of Nabinagar P.S. case No.13 dated 25.06.2001 filed by Sadhu Shil, they have become vindictive and started to bear grudge upon this Hindu Shil family and planning to kill Bijoy Chandra Shil with the help of some touts.

 How Bijoy Shil was brutally killed in broad day light :

 The terrorists (accused of Nabinagar P.S. Case No.13 dated 25.06.2001) again started repression upon the family members of Bijoy by starting false cases, occupying ancestral landed properties by force etc.so that the members of Shil family could leave the country due to torture and intimidation. We got all the documents and papers relating to the false cases filed against the victims and all the cases ended in final report. The terrorists and their conspirators could not prove their cases. As a result they became more furious and hatched a plan to eliminate them from the earth forever.
On 19.02.2003 at about 11 p.m. Ms.Shika Rani saw that some 5/6 conspirators entered into the house of Ex.Chairman Nazrul Islam Mansur western side of their dwelling house and she slept in her house with her husband - Bijoy. On the next day on 20.02.2003 at about 8 a.m. she gave break fast to her husband Bijoy who took break fast and started to smoke. Immediately after 5 minutes 1. Kamrul Hasans (Polash) son of the Ex.Chairman Mansur armed with deadly weapon shot on the left hand of Bijoy Chandra Shil, as a result Bijoy tried to flee away from his courtyard and the terrorist again shot him on the chest by a gun and instantly Bijoy expired. As soon as Shika heard the sound of firearms she came out from her house and tried to rescue but she has been prevented from approaching towards the dead body. Shika saw that terrorist Nazrul Islam @ Mansur was standing with" Ram Dao" Manowara Begum with "Kirish" and Raziya Sultana with a big dagger and protecting themselves and shouted that " Kill Bijoy and their family". The dead body of Bijoy was traced in front of a house of Nirapada Biswas, a witness of the case, the assailant Polash again confirmed death of Bijoy by shooting another bullet to body of Bijoy Shil.

 Ultimately, Kamal Ch.Shil brother of Bijoy tried to rescue his elder brother Bijoy with courage and as a result he sustained a multiple injury caused by Mansur on his left hand and Kamal Shil was also admitted in the Hospital for treatment. Kamal Ch.Shil recently came from Soudi Arabia and got married. He told us that he has got a saloon in Soudi Arabia and he brought some important and valuable electrical goods for the family but unfortunately he lost every thing including his elder brother in his motherland. During open terrorism some of the villagers caught hold of some terrorists namely 1. Ms.Monowara Begum 2. Ms.Razia Sultna @ Jonaki and 3.Nazrul Islam Mansur and handed them over to Union Parishad and other terrorists namely Kamrul Hasan Polash, Abul Hossain, Younus Meah fled with the arms. The Police was informed and the police arrested three persons detained by local people and the dead body was taken away from Shibpur to Nabingar police station for post mortem and necessary action.
I examined the injury report of the doctors and also examined the injury caused to other witnesses during my investigation. I also found that Ms.Shika Rani Shil lodged a first information report (FIR) in Nabinagar police station stating all the facts and circumstances of brutal murder and Nabinagar P.S. case No.5 dated 20.2.2003 was started under section 302/34 of Bangladesh Panel code against the terrorists and the said case is pending for trial in the Court of Sessions at Brahmanbaria district. On behalf of the arrested accused a bail petition was moved in the court of Sessions Judge,B.Baria, but the said bail petition has been rejected by court on 9th of April,2003.
Some witnesses approached us in the courtyard and house compound of the victims started to tell story of killing, repression and torture one after another. One Ms.Rabeya Akhtar wife of late Chan Meah told us that the Ex. Chairman - Mansur is known as a terrorist and his wife and daughters and sons are also in the same nature. He is also a great leader of Awami League in Shibpur village.  Mansur managed to lodge a false complain against Shil family in Bhairab police station through her relative Reziya Khatun with a view to eliminate them from their native houses. One of the wives of terrorists Ms.Dolna Begum told us that the wife of Ex.Chairman - Mansur is a characterless lady and she can manage the administration by deceitful means.  Some of the villagers told us that due to non-cooperation of O/C Nabinagar P.S. the names of the terrorists of the locality were not supplied to Army personnel, although the names of terrorists were supplied to the O/C for necessary action against them while the Army was on " operation clean heart "at that relevant period. 

Who will look after the children and widow of Bijoy Shil?

Deceased Bijoy Shil (40) was a very simple and non-political and social man in the locality. All in the locality as excellent man knows him.  He got a Saloon shop in Shibpur Market. He lives on cutting hair in the Saloon. He left behind wife Shika Rani, four minor children- 1. Uzzal Chandra Shil (12) 2. Sajal Chandra Shil (8) 3. Angan Shil (5) and 4. Suman Chandra Shil, mother- Usha Rani Shil (70) and 4 brothers.

Ex.Chairman - Mansur captured some portion of landed property of Bijoy

We came to know from the people of the locality present to-day, 9 April,2003 that some portion of the land has been occupied by force by Mansur and those portion of land adjacent to the homestead of Bijoy could not be recovered due to constant persecution and torture upon them. We visited the place of forceful occupation of land Bijoy and saw that some threes are there and a boundary has been installed illegally and nobody dares to say against him for fear of life. As a result Bijoy family has become destitute and helpless. We expressed our profound grief and anguish at the brutal murder of Bijoy and deep condolence to the bereaved family.

We came back from Shibpur on 9th April,2003 at about 9 p.m. at Brahmanbaria within 3 hours and took rest at night in a house arranged by Advocate Milan Kati Majumder. And on the next morning on 10.04.2003 we reached Dhaka at about 1 p.m.  

 It is that I know what the pain could be! It is passionate pain! Hundreds of pregnant minority women feel that despair that broke their hearts.
Justice never been serve to them and perhaps never will be.
She lost the sign of her love, the child, the fetus of her own blood and flesh. The picture shows broken heart Sabita Rani Sarkar is under treatment at the local hospital. Sabita is speechless, wounds of her body though yet to cure but the scratch on the heart will never be..!! .....more.....   

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