Shibir, Islamic group members accused over Kushtia spiritual leader killing

A murder case has been filed over the brutal killing of spiritual leader Abdur Rahman Shamim in Kushtia’s Daulatpur, where members of Islami Chhatra Shibir and other Islamic groups are accused of involvement.

The main accused in the case is Khaza Ahmed, a former president of Kushtia district Chhatra Shibir and a member (Rokon) of Jamaat-e-Islami in Daulatpur upazila. Three other people have also been named as accused: local Jamaat worker Rajib Mistri, Daulatpur upazila president of Khelafat Majlish Asaduzzaman Asad, 45, and a madrasa teacher named Safi.

Earlier, police claimed that they have names of 40 people involved in the incident. They were waiting for a case filing.

The victim’s brother, Fazlur Rahman, filed the case at Daulatpur Police Station. Along with the four named accused, another 180 to 200 unidentified individuals have been listed in the case.

Police and related sources say the attack was planned and carried out in an organized way. Initial investigation shows that 70 to 80 attackers took part in the first phase of the attack on the shrine. Among them, 7 to 8 people were directly involved in vandalism and physical assault. Later, in a second phase, several hundred students from a local madrasa joined the attack, showing how large and organized the incident was.

Law enforcement agencies are also taking seriously the role of social media in spreading incitement. Some Facebook IDs and page admins linked to spreading videos and posts that encouraged the attack have already been identified. By reviewing CCTV footage and viral videos, police have identified several more people involved in the attack and vandalism.

However, the main accused Khaza Ahmed has denied the allegations. He claims that the slain Shamim, was his relative and that he only went there to bring back the body. He also said that leaders from other political parties were present at the scene, but their names were not included in the case.

Meanwhile, local Jamaat leaders have also denied involvement. Daulatpur upazila Jamaat Ameer Belal Uddin said, “Many names can appear in a case, but none of our party members are involved in this incident. We will fight this legally.”

On last Saturday, attackers stormed a shrine (darbar sharif) in Philipnagar, Daulatpur, and brutally killed Pir Abdur Rahman Shamim by hacking and beating him. The attackers also carried out widespread vandalism and set parts of the shrine on fire, creating tension in the area.

Since the incident, extra police have been deployed, and the situation is now under control. However, the killing has raised serious concerns again about religious extremism and organized violence.