Felani case
A Kolkata, West Bengal based Indian rights group Manabadhikar Surakkha Mancha (MASUM) has alleged that two of its activists were denied Visa to Bangladesh. BBC Radio’s Bangla service has reported on Wednesday night that Kirity Roy, head of MASUM, claimed that both he and a former Justice Moloy Sen Gupta were returned their passports on Wednesday without Visa before they could take their flight to Dhaka. They wanted to visit Bangladesh for collecting evidence and necessary papers and meet the father of Felani Khatun, the adolescent girl, who was shot dead and left to die bleeding entangled on the wire fence. After an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) trooper Amiya Ghose was freed on Sept 7 from the charges of killing Felani Khatun, Kirity Roy said MASUM was going to file petition with the Indian Supreme Court in public interest seeking justice for the Bangladeshi girl.
Roy was present at the court during the trial, in which Felani’s father Nurul Islam and her maternal uncle had testified. Public prosecutor of Kurigram Abraham Lincoln and sector commander of Border Guard Bangladesh of the area also attended the trial.
Roy said they were given no reason for canceling the Visa applications. The Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh sources in Kolkata said Roy had been visiting Bangladesh once or twice every year since 2009.
Though the Deputy High Commission did not make any comment on Roy’s claims but mission sources said he had been to Bangladesh on a tourist Visa and questions naturally aroused regarding the reason of his visit there.
Kirity Roy and his organisation MASUM had been active against border killings. He had been in touch with Bangladeshi rights groups– Adhikar, BLAST and ASK — and Justice Moloy Sen Gupta had invitation letters from the later two organisations, Roy said, BBC added.
-With The Independent input
