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Shahriar Rakeen, the 16-year old boy injured in a violent attack by a religious extremist group targeting the Ahmadiyya community in Ahmednagar, Panchagarh, has died.
Shahriar had been receiving treatment for severe head injuries for over three months and doctors at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka pronounced him dead on Friday morning.
His father Abdul Wahab confirmed the news, saying that Shahriar would be transported to his village for burial, reports bdnes24.com.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at expressed sorrow over his death, condemning the “barbaric communal attack” and calling for justice.
They claim the attacks were perpetrated by religious extremists, not politically motivated, amid a lack of law and absence of a government.
The organisation’s spokesperson Ahmad Tabshir Chowdhury said, “On Aug 5, 2024, shortly after the change of government, some radical religious extremists attacked members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in several places across the country.
“A mosque and hundreds of houses and structures belonging to Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at were attacked and 22 people were injured in Ahmednagar, Panchagarh.
“Shahriar, severely injured in the Panchagarh attack with head trauma, was initially treated at Panchagarh Government Hospital before being transferred to Rangpur Medical College and then Dhaka for specialised care.
“After three months in Dhaka Neuroscience Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and LabAid Hospital, he passed away on Nov 8.”
The change of government also saw widespread violence against minorities, with the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reporting attacks across 29 districts.
Looting and arson erupted in various areas, including prominent locations such as Ganabhaban and Sangsad Bhaban, or parliament building
Offices, police stations, and Awami League facilities were vandalised or set on fire, leaving minority communities and opposition supporters vulnerable to attacks.