Doors Locked, Homes Burned: Four Hindu Families Targeted in Five Days

Allegations have emerged that the doors of four Hindu families’ houses in Chattogram were locked from the outside and then set on fire within a span of five days. The latest incident occurred early Tuesday morning (December 23) in West Sultanpur village of Ward No. 5 in the municipal area of Raozan upazila. Although no casualties were reported, almost all household belongings of the affected families were destroyed in the fire.

According to local residents, the houses of Sukha Shil and Anil Shil in Sultanpur village were set on fire late at night. Sukha Shil is an expatriate living in Dubai, while Anil Shil is a day labourer. At the time of the incident, a total of eight members from the two families were sleeping inside their homes. When they woke up around 3:45 am due to the heat of the fire and attempted to come out, they found that the doors had been locked from the outside. They later managed to escape by cutting through tin sheets and bamboo fencing.

The families claimed that important belongings including passports, furniture and around Tk 100,000 in cash were burned in the fire.

Earlier, on Friday night (December 19), allegations were made that two houses belonging to members of the Hindu community were set on fire in the same manner in Dheuapara village of Ward No. 8 under Raozan Municipality. The day before that, on Thursday night (December 18), a house belonging to a man named Sadhan Barua in Keutia Barua Para village of Sadar Union was also allegedly set on fire after the door was locked from outside. Police cases have been filed at the police station in connection with these incidents against unidentified persons.

Following Tuesday’s incident, Raozan Upazila Nirbahi Officer S M Rahatul Islam, along with a police team, visited the spot in the morning. They assured that action would be taken after investigation and that assistance would be provided to the affected families.

Officer-in-Charge of Raozan Police Station, Sajedul Islam, said that police rushed to the scene immediately after receiving information about the fire. Preliminary findings suggest that miscreants locked the doors from outside using hooks and then set the houses on fire. The residents escaped by cutting through the walls of the houses. He said efforts were underway to identify those responsible, adding that seven people have so far been detained in connection with these incidents.

Meanwhile, in a similar incident earlier on Friday (December 19), allegations were made that the house of BNP leader Belal Hossain in the Charmansa area of Bhabaniganj under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila was set on fire. In that incident, a seven-year-old child was killed and three others were severely injured by burns. The homeowner claimed that the attackers had locked the door from outside and poured petrol before setting the house on fire.