BANGLADESH, November 7, 2001: Bangladeshi border guards have detained 124 people belonging to the country’s minority Hindu community while they were trying to cross the border into India. Police officials from the southern border district of Satkhira said the detained included many women and children. None had any valid travel documents. Local journalists say these Hindu families were apparently fleeing their villages following reports of torture on Hindu communities in different parts of the country. The detained Hindu families told police officials they were travelling to India to meet relatives. Civil rights groups in Bangladesh say Hindus are being targeted for having voted against the ruling four-party coalition in last month’s general election.
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