Allegations have emerged linking local leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and Khelafat Majlish, led by Mamunul Haque, to the killing of Pir Abdur Rahman Shamim in Kushtia, following a mob attack on his den in Daulatpur.
The victim, also known as Jahangir, was hacked and beaten to death during the assault, according to police and family members.
A case filed by the victim’s family names a local Jamaat leader and activist, as well as a Khelafat Majlish leader and a madrasa teacher. It also lists between 180 and 200 unidentified individuals as accused.
Despite what police say are clear images of many suspects in video footage, no arrests have been made so far.
The case was filed late on Monday night at Daulatpur police station by Shamim’s brother, retired schoolteacher Fazlur Rahman.
Khaja Ahmed, a rukun of Jamaat’s Daulatpur unit and a former president of Chhatra Shibir in Kushtia, has been named as the instigator.
Others named include Jamaat activist Rajib Mistry, Khelafat Majlish’s Daulatpur upazila president Asaduzzaman Asad, and a madrasa teacher identified as Safi from the Abeder Ghat area.
Local sources said none of the named suspects are currently in the area.
What the complaint alleges
The victim’s family initially said they would not pursue legal action, but later reversed that decision and filed a case detailing the alleged attack.
In the complaint, Fazlur Rahman said his brother, Abdur Rahman, was at his den on Saturday at around 2:45pm when a group of between 180 and 200 people arrived.
He alleged the group, acting on the orders of Khaja Ahmed, entered the darbar sharif armed with iron rods, machetes, knives, axes, bamboo sticks and wooden batons.
According to the complaint, the attackers vandalised doors and windows before some of them, including Rajib Mistry, went to the second floor and assaulted a man named Zobayer with iron rods.
It says Rajib then struck Abdur Rahman on the waist and head with an iron rod, with intent to kill.
The complaint further alleges that the attackers used sharp weapons to repeatedly strike Abdur Rahman on the head, jaw, lips, chin, back and behind the knee, causing severe injuries.
He was also beaten across his body with sticks and batons, it says.
When a caretaker of the darbar sharif, Jamiran, rushed to help after hearing his cries, she was also attacked, the complaint alleges.
It says the third accused, Asaduzzaman, struck her on the head with a sharp weapon. She raised her left hand to defend herself and suffered a deep injury to her wrist.
The complaint also accuses the attackers of looting around Tk10 lakh in cash and four bhori of gold jewellery from a steel cupboard inside the den.
Total losses from the attack have been estimated at around Tk20 lakh, according to the filing.
Main suspect remains at large
Police say they have yet to arrest any suspects in connection with the killing, despite identifying individuals in video footage of the attack.
Kushtia Additional Superintendent of Police Delwar Hossain said all those accused had gone into hiding following the incident.
“Police are making strong efforts to arrest the accused,” he said.
However, the principal suspect, Khaja Ahmed, has spoken to the media by phone and also gave a video interview to a private television channel, despite not being in the area.
Denying any involvement, he said the victim was a senior member of his extended family.
“I went to bring the body on the instruction of his brother,” he said.
He also claimed to have spoken with police multiple times on the day of the incident, questioning why he had been named as the main accused.
Khaja Ahmed alleged that senior leaders of BNP and its affiliated organisations were present at the scene, but none of them had been named in the case.
According to local accounts, the attack took place on Saturday afternoon in Philipnagar, Daulatpur, after an old video resurfaced on social media, triggering allegations of blasphemy against Abdur Rahman.
Posts circulating on Facebook had earlier incited tensions against him, witnesses said.
Police were present at the scene as the situation escalated, but residents have alleged that they did not intervene during repeated attacks, vandalism, arson, looting and the killing.
A senior police officer said the attackers significantly outnumbered officers at the scene, limiting their ability to respond.
Jamaat denies involvement
Leaders of Jamaat rejected the allegations at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
In a written statement, Daulatpur Upazila Jamaat Ameer Belal Hossain said the party had no involvement in the incident.
“These allegations are completely false, baseless and part of a planned conspiracy,” he said.
He added that the party does not support any form of extrajudicial action.
Belal Hossain also claimed that Khaja Ahmed had long been active in promoting what he described as values-based politics in the area, opposing violence, extortion and land grabbing.
He alleged that this stance had put him at odds with certain groups, leading to what he described as an attempt to falsely implicate him.
The Jamaat leader further said the presence of local leaders of BNP and its affiliated bodies at the scene had raised serious questions among residents.
