UP chairman allegedly assaults Santal woman, sets home on fire in Gaibandha over land dispute | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Sunday
July 20, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2025
UP chairman allegedly assaults Santal woman, sets home on fire in Gaibandha over land dispute

Bangladesh

TBS Report
04 January, 2025, 07:50 pm
Last modified: 04 January, 2025, 08:03 pm

Related News

  • NCP arch torched ahead of rally in Narayanganj
  • 400 trees felled in Patuakhali over land dispute
  • DC Gold CUP Football Tournament-2025 begins in Gaibandha
  • Jubo Dal leader killed in clash over land dispute in Sunamganj
  • Why higher education remains out of reach for Bangladesh’s Santal community

UP chairman allegedly assaults Santal woman, sets home on fire in Gaibandha over land dispute

Rajahar UP Chairman and Gobindaganj BNP leader Rafiqul Islam has denied all allegations and termed them false and baseless

TBS Report
04 January, 2025, 07:50 pm
Last modified: 04 January, 2025, 08:03 pm
The woman was assaulted in the morning yesterday (3 January) while the fire incident took place later at night at Borotta village in the Rajabirat area of Shakhahar union of Gobindaganj upazila. Photo: Collected
The woman was assaulted in the morning yesterday (3 January) while the fire incident took place later at night at Borotta village in the Rajabirat area of Shakhahar union of Gobindaganj upazila. Photo: Collected

Local Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Rafiqul Islam, also a BNP leader, has allegedly assaulted a Santal woman and had his followers set fire to her house over a land dispute in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha.

The woman was assaulted in the morning yesterday (3 January) while the fire incident took place later at night at Borotta village in the Rajabirat area of Shakhahar union of the upazila.

Family members said the victim, Philomena Hasda, 55, is currently undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital (SZMCH) in Bogura.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

However, the accused, Rajahar UP Chairman and Gobindaganj BNP leader Rafiqul Islam has denied all allegations. 

"The accusations against me are false and baseless," he claimed.

5 years later, justice still elusive for Gaibandha Santals

Philomena's son British Soren alleged that several young Santal men from the village protested Rafiqul and his people filling land with soil on the ancestral property of the Santals near the village at around 10am yesterday.

Rafiqul and his men beat and chased away one of the young men – Soren's cousin Nicholas Murmu. Rafiqul also attempted to hit Soren when he went to protest against the assault on Nicholas, said Soren, who was working in a nearby potato field at the time.

Soren alleged that when his mother Philomena intervened to stop Rafiqul, the chairman slapped her repeatedly on her ears and face. 

As a result, Philomena fell to the ground, and blood started flowing from her ear.

Around 11:30am, Soren's brothers took her to Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex.

Later in the afternoon, she was taken to the SZMCH for better treatment following doctors' suggestions.

Meanwhile, at around 12pm, when Soren returned to the potato field, 20-25 followers of Rafiqul chased him all the way to his house and issued threats before leaving, alleged Soren.

Soren said they were with his mother at the hospital when they learned at around 11pm that the chairman's associates had set fire to their house. 

Although the Fire Service quickly extinguished the flames, one of the rooms was completely burned.

Talking to The Business Standard, Chairman Rafiqul said, "I bought the 16 decimals of land from local resident Abdul Malek in 2001. All the documents, including tax payments and land mutation, are in my name.

"Why would I assault them? And why would there be any incident of arson? We have absolutely no involvement in any of these matters."

Reached for comment, Gobindaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Bulbul Islam said they have heard about the incident. "Legal action will be taken after a thorough investigation."

On 6 November 2016, the Santals alleged that the police, local administration, local influential people and mill staff attacked their village in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha district to evict them.

Exclusive Al Jazeera footage also appeared to show police helping set fire to a Santal home in the 6 November incident. 

Since then, the Santals have loudly protested against any infringement on their ancestral land. 

The ethnic community has marked 6 November with demonstrations. They have repeatedly called for justice over the killings, but the demands have gone unheeded.

Top News

Santal / Gaibandha / land dispute / Arson

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Infograph: TBS
    Liquidation of troubled NBFIs may cost govt Tk12,000cr in taxpayer money
  • Infograph: TBS
    Dhaka to seek G2G coal import, investment in solar plants in CA’s visit to Jakarta
  • Infograph: TBS
    Govt outlines Tk16,738cr health, nutrition programme for five years

MOST VIEWED

  • Representational Photo: Collected
    Railway allocates special trains for Jamaat's national rally in Dhaka
  • Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and SpaceX Vice President Lauren Dreyer after a meeting at state guest house Jamuna on 18 July 2025. Photo: Focus Bangla
    SpaceX VP Lauren Dreyer praises Bangladesh's efficiency in facilitating Starlink launch
  • Dollar rate falling fast – what it means for the economy
    Dollar rate falling fast – what it means for the economy
  • Governments often rely on foreign loans. Russia’s loans covered 90% of the Rooppur Nuclear Power plant project's cost. Photo: Collected
    Loan tenure for Rooppur plant extended 
  • Representational image. Photo: Unsplash
    Mobile operators give 1GB free data to users observing 'Free Internet Day' today
  • Smuggled goods seized at Sylhet border on 18 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    BGB seizes smuggled Indian goods worth Tk6cr from Sylhet border areas

Related News

  • NCP arch torched ahead of rally in Narayanganj
  • 400 trees felled in Patuakhali over land dispute
  • DC Gold CUP Football Tournament-2025 begins in Gaibandha
  • Jubo Dal leader killed in clash over land dispute in Sunamganj
  • Why higher education remains out of reach for Bangladesh’s Santal community

Features

Tottho Apas have been protesting in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka for months, with no headway in sight. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

From empowerment to exclusion: The crisis facing Bangladesh’s Tottho Apas

10h | Panorama
The main points of clashes were in Jatrabari, Uttara, Badda, and Mirpur. Violence was also reported in Mohammadpur. Photo: TBS

20 July 2024: At least 37 killed amid curfew; Key coordinator Nahid Islam detained

10h | Panorama
Jatrabari in the capital looks like a warzone as police, alongside Chhatra League men, swoop on quota reform protesters. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

19 July 2024: At least 148 killed as government attempts to quash protests violently

1d | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

Curfews, block raids, and internet blackouts: Hasina’s last ditch efforts to cling to power

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Why has India failed to utilize its potential?

Why has India failed to utilize its potential?

1h | Others
After Gopalganj, the reason why NCP is facing obstacles in Cox's Bazar?

After Gopalganj, the reason why NCP is facing obstacles in Cox's Bazar?

11h | TBS Today
What does Jamaat Nayeb Ameer Abdullah Taher say about reforms?

What does Jamaat Nayeb Ameer Abdullah Taher say about reforms?

12h | TBS Today
The tendency of central banks to buy gold is increasing worldwide.

The tendency of central banks to buy gold is increasing worldwide.

12h | Others
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net