New York, April 3, 2016: Tandra Rani Debnath (23) a pregnant Hindu woman and a school teacher has been forcibly converted to Islam in Bangladesh, reports minority watchdog Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW).
The pregnant Hindu woman was abducted by Mohammad Habib (28).
Tandra Rani Debnath is the wife of Biswajit Debnath who is a Bank officer. She was kidnapped on 11.03.2016 while she was waiting for a vehicle to go to her father’s home at Ataradana seven kilometers away from Ghatail Police station-Tangail District.
Her Husband Biswajit is inconsolable while Ram Prasad Debnath – father of the forcibly converted pregnant Hindu woman victim lodged the First Information Report (FIR) at Ghatail police station for the recovery of his daughter and he also asked for the arrest of the perpetrator Mohammad Habib.
Beauty Rani Debnath who is the mother of Tandra Rani submitted an appeal to Bangladesh Minority Watch for necessary legal assistance on 02.04.2016 and she alleged that her daughter has been threatened that she will be killed if she ever goes to back to the Hindu fold.
BDMW communicated with the Additional Superintendent of Police, Tangail, who assured that the victim would be recovered and the perpetrator would be arrested. BDMW also spoke with Md. Kamal Hossain, Officer in Charge of Ghatail police station, who admitted having information on the case but said:
“Ms. Tandra Rani does not want to come back to the Hindu fold.”
But when questioned as to why the perpetrator has not yet arrested by the police, the police officer was unable to reply.
BDMW also raised the point that if the unborn baby of the pregnant Hindu woman Tandra Rani gets killed then who will be responsible for the murder?
The police officer had no answer but instead is claiming that the pregnant Hindu woman Tandra Rani went out with Md. Habib for love. .
This is a standard reply that minorities get when they raise issue of forceful conversion in the country
Why she did not do so before her pregnancy or did she have any contact with him previously has not been answered by the police. Also, is it alright to keep a pregnant woman without officially divorcing the first husband? These are questions that need an answer and Bangladesh unfortunately will not be able to answer them.
