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Tension continues to simmer in Kushtia as police have yet to make any arrests 72 hours after a “Sufi shrine leader” was lynched in a “mob attack” allegedly triggered by blasphemy.
Shamim Reza, known locally as Jahangir and described as a Sufi shrine leader, was beaten and hacked to death on Saturday afternoon at his “Shamim Babar Darbar Sharif” in south-west Philipnagor under Daulatpur Upazila, bdnews24.com reports.
According to police and case documents, a “mob” of several hundred people stormed the shrine. The attackers vandalised the premises, set it ablaze, and killed Shamim, leaving three of his followers -- Mohon Ali, Jamirun and Zubayer, both known by single names -- critically injured.
Despite the passage of three days since the murder case was filed, investigators say efforts are ongoing to identify those responsible.
“We haven’t made any arrests yet, but there is no pressure on the police from any side,” said Delwar Hossain, assistant superintendent of police for the Bheramara-Daulatpur Circle.
“Political affiliation does not matter.
Everyone involved will be brought to justice.”
Security forces have since been deployed in the area to prevent further unrest.
The victim’s family had initially refrained from filing a case out of fear of retaliation.
On Apr 13, his elder brother Fazlur Rahman lodged a complaint naming four individuals and accusing around 200 unidentified people.
The case alleges that many of the attackers were linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami and Khelafat Majlis.
Shamim was buried under tight security on Apr 12 at a local cemetery following a postmortem examination.
In the aftermath, hundreds of his followers -- including many women -- took to the streets in Philipnagor, demanding justice and the execution of those responsible.