Lives of SSC candidates in peril

The recent attack by Hefazat-e-Islam on the minority Hindu people at Shalla in Sunamgang not only destroyed their houses, temples and other valuables but also burnt educational materials of SSC examinees with their exams only 40 days away.
SSC candidates of this year expressed their deep worries over how they will manage all their educational materials and to prepare for the exams in such a short span of time.
Sixteen-year-old Sraboni Rani Das, an SSC candidate of Giridhar High
School, burst into tears with her burnt books and copies in hands.
Members of Hefazat-e Islam on the morning of March 17 launched an attack on their houses.  She said she might manage all the books she lost but she couldn't do anything with the notes she had prepared for one and a half years.
Sraboni, who lost her father Montu Chandra Das three months ago, said she might not be able to sit for this year's examinations.
"They have burned all my educational materials, main books, guide books and notes. Nothing is left that I can follow for my exam. Now I do not know how I could manage them!" she muttered between her sobs.  
Sraboni's elder brother Bipul Chandra Das, a degree candidate, whose books were also torched and destroyed by the attackers helps his family with the money he earns from giving tuition to students of his locality after his father's death.  
Talking to the Daily Observer he said, "I really feel bad as I have failed to protect my sister's books, notes for which she has put lots of effort and patience," Bipul said.  
Rina Rani, mother of Sraboni and Bipul said. "I cannot look at the face of my daughter as I do not know how I could console her. She has been crying since she lost her educational materials," she said.
Tuli Rani Biswas, also an SSC candidate of this year from Giridhar High School, said she did not think of books during the sudden attacks she only thought of protecting her four siblings.
"I just ran away by holding my youngest brother Sanod, who is only one-and-a-half-year-old along with my three other siblings into a nearby a crop land," she said.
"When we came back, I found all my educational materials torched," she said.
Overcome with emotion Tuli said she should have taken the books as she fled the home during the attack.  
Sonoka Rani Das, another SSC candidate, said she had run away and hidden herself along with her siblings in a crop field, when she noticed hundreds of people were heading towards their village carrying long machete, daggers and sticks.
"When I had fled from the spot along with my sisters, the only thought that came into my mind was my parents' safety. I never ever had thought that they could destroy my educational materials," she said in a choked voice.
"We are unable to sleep as we hear the screams of the crowds carrying weapons to kill us. Even the sound of a small falling leaf wakes us up! We are truly traumatized and do not know how long it will take us to heal," she said.
On the day of the attack several hundred supporters of Hefazat-e Islam vandalized and looted at least 75 Hindu houses in Sunamganj's Noagaon village on the morning of 17 March over a facebook post.