Organised attempt to evict Tangail brothel inmates

The clashes took place between a section of clerics and people led by municipal chairman under the banner of 'brothel eviction committee' and members of Nagorik Mancha (citizens' committee) who opposed eviction without rehabilitation of sex workers.

The brothel could not be evicted. Tension mounted in the town after the clashes when eviction comnmittee leaders declared that another attempt would be made today.

A large number of police men have been deployed in the town to maintain law and order.

Panic gripped the town as the eviction committee brought out big peocessions and held rallies before and after they attacked the Nagorik Mancha rally, held at the Central Shaheed Minar.

Witneses said the the eviction committee held a rally at Central Jame Mosque in the town at around 10am as per its previous declaration.

With Tangail Pourasabha chairman and eviction committee convener Jamilur Rahman Miron in the chair, the rally was addressed by, among others, Imam of the Central Jame Mosque and member secretary of the committee Maulana Hafez Shamsuzzaman, Krishak Sramik Janata League leader Azad Siddiqui, Imam of New Bus Terminal Jame Mosque Maulana Abdul Jalil, Nurul Islam and Golam Mostofa.

After the rally, it brought out a big procession led by Jamilur Rahman Miron. The processionists paraded different streets of the town. On the other hand, the Nagorik Mancha organised a rally on Central Shaheed Minar premises, demanding that 1,200 imnates of the brothel could not be evicted before their rehabilitation. The rally was addressed by, among others, Poet Bulbul Khan

Mahbub, cultural and political personality Alamgir Khan

Minu, Milon Sarkar, Prof Badal Mahmud, MA Sattar Ukil,

Asaduzzaman Babul, Ivan Ahmed Katha, Somnath Lahiri, Mir Mehdi, advocate Al Ruhi and women's rights activist Mahmuda kter Sheli.

Witnesse said that as the Nagorik Mancha rally was in progress with Sheli speaking, men of the eviction committee led by Krishak Sramik Janata League leader Azad Siddiqui attacked the rally. They tore down the pandal, snapped mike and damaged about 400 chairs and swooped on Nagorik Mancha members.

At least 14 people including cultural activist Elen Mallik, Mahmuda Akter Sheli, sex workers' leader Momotaz Begum and Poet Uzzal Khan were injured. As news of the attack spread, panic gripped the town and shopkeepers downed thgeir shutters.

Police controlled the situation by charging batons on the attackers, the witnesses said. Later, the eviction committee held a brief rally at the Central Shaheed Minar by occupying the makeshift stage erected by the Nagorik Manch.

It was addressed by, among others, pourasabha chairman Jamilur Rahman Miron and Krishak Sramik Janata League leader Azad Siddiqui.

They declared that inmates of the brothel would be evicted at any cost. The committee members and supporters then went to the Central Jame Mosque in a procession and held another rally there. At the rally, the committee leaders declared that they would hold anothger demonstration at the Central Shaheed Minar at 2pm today protesting the 'police attack' on them.

They will also bring out a procession in the town today and hand over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) demanding immediate eviction of brothel inmates. Earlier, a meeting on the planned evictioin was held at

Tangail Central Jame Mosque on Thursday after Zohr prayer.

Pourasabha Chairman Jamilur Rahman organised the meeting and invited all Imams and leaders of mosque committees in the town.

The meeting decided to evict inmates of the brothel, calling it a den of miscreants, drug addicts and criminals.

On the other hand, Nari Mukti Sangha, an organisation of sex workers, held a press conference at Tangail Press Club on Friday demanding authorities' step to stop the eviction.

Its president Aklima Begum Akhi told the press conference that eviction of sex workers without rehabilitation was violation of human rights.

An influential member of the eviction committee wants to build an autorickshaw stand and a market by demolishging the brothel, she alleged. It would be injustice to sex workers, she added.

As members of the Nagorik Manch and the eviction committee held rallies clashed, panicked sex workers and residents in Kandapara readied themselves with babboo sticks and whatever they had to resist the attackers.