Bangshi Badan Barman is an Indian politician. A leading figure in the 'Greater Cooch Behar' movement, Barman is currently jailed after a 2005 riot.

Barman finished a Bengali Honours degree at Dinhata College in 1992. During his student days he was a members of the Students Federation of India.[1]

In 1998 the Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA), an organisation striving to create a separate 'Greater Cooch Behar' state out of areas presently part of the state of West Bengal, was formed.[1] Barman became the General Secretary of GCPA.[2][3]

Barman was arrested following riots in Cooch Behar on September 20, 2005. Five people, three policemen (including an additional superintendent of police) and two pro-Greater Cooch Behar supporters, were killed in the clashes on that day. GCPA was holding protests in the city, erecting barricades.[4][5]

When the GCPA was split in 2006, Barman sided with the break-away Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party.[2]

In June 2008, the GCBDP organised a fast-unto-death hunger strike, demanding the release of Bangshibadan Barman and 55 other followers of the party (who had been arrested at a 2005 GCPA meeting). The fast was, however, called off by the party on June 9, 2008, after talks with senior administration officials.[6]

In April 2009, a bail pray for Barman was rejected by the Calcutta High Court.[4]

In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, the GCBDP launched Bangshibadan Barman as its candidate in the Cooch Behar constituency. Barman became the first undertrial prisoner to file his nomination papers for a parliamentary election in West Bengal.[7] He filed his candidature as an independent. In the end, Barman obtained 37,226 votes (3.3% of the votes in the constituency).[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Quiet but sudden shot at ?fame?
  2. 1 2 Bangshi's old outfit back with 'state' map - For the police chief: name the spot
  3. ↑ We will abide by statute, says Cooch Behar leader
  4. 1 2 Bangshi bail plea
  5. ↑ Stubborn standoff in war zone
  6. ↑ Cooch Behar fast off
  7. ↑ First undertrial prisoner in West Bengal files nomination
  8. ↑ "Election Commission of India-General Elections 2009". Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
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